Depression Board decisions

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The veteran's claims are being remanded due to the submission of additional medical evidence without a waiver, and they will be reconsidered by the RO.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder, which was previously denied in March 1999. The new evidence submitted since that decision supports a finding of secondary service connection based on his already service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorder are due to a verified in-service stressor of sexual assault during her time in service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major depression, is aggravated by his service-connected tinea versicolor. The low back disorder is not shown to be related to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his left shoulder, cervical spine, and left upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities. The veteran was not granted service connection for depression.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and depression or dysthymic disorder, finding no credible evidence of an in-service stressor. Service connection for drug addiction is granted, but hepatitis C remains not established.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected depressive disorder warranted a 30 percent rating, which is the current assigned disability evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA pension examination to determine the nature, extent, and severity of his disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as there is no evidence of such a condition during active service and no link between any current disability and service.

The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the veteran's current diagnosed depression and his military service.

The VA has determined that the veteran's depression warrants a disability rating of 50 percent, effective from the date of this decision.

VA granted service connection for major depressive disorder and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective October 27, 2003.,In January 2005, VA increased the rating to 50 percent effective March 8, 2004.,In July 2007, VA further increased the rating to 70 percent effective January 30, 2007.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to consider his claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected chronic myositis, right scapular muscle.

The veteran's claim for SMC based on the loss of use of a creative organ was denied as her symptoms are not attributable to any service-connected disability.

The October 1974 rating decision denied service connection for chronic emotional instability due to a personality disorder, which is not a disease or injury for VA purposes. The June 2001 rating decisions reopened the claim and denied it again based on lack of evidence showing onset in service.,The June 2001 rating decisions also denied service connection for bronchitis based on post-service medical records indicating no findings attributed to bronchitis until February 1991.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under either the old or current VA rating criteria.

The veteran's claimed conditions are not shown to be related to his military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the veteran with a new examination to assess his low back disorder. The claims for increased rating and service connection are also being remanded.