Anxiety decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claims for reopening his service connection for migraine headaches and a psychiatric condition, finding that the new evidence did not show an increase in severity during service.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was not well-grounded due to a lack of competent medical evidence showing proximate causation between any carelessness, negligence, or similar fault provided by VA and his additional disability.

The Board found that the veteran's anxiety disorder did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new VA rating criteria, and thus denied his claim.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected psychophysiological gastrointestinal reaction with gastric pain and anxiety does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent, and denied his claim for service connection for chronic ulcer disease. The evidence did not support a finding of chronic ulcer disease or a link between it and the veteran's active service.

The veteran is seeking to reopen his claim for service connection for anxiety neurosis and also challenges the August 1974 rating decision that denied this claim. The Board will consider both issues, including whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for cause of death and eligibility for DEA benefits due to a lack of well-grounded evidence.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the veteran's anxiety disorder and neurodermatitis, which represents the 'major degree of disability' or the 'dominant (more disabling)' aspect of his service-connected condition.

The Board granted a 50 percent evaluation for anxiety neurosis effective January 16, 1998 and denied entitlement to an increased rating prior to that date.

The veteran's conversion hysteria, now diagnosed as anxiety disorder, results in no more than mild symptoms and warrants a 10% evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied in October 1995, and she did not appeal the decision. In June 1997, she submitted copies of her service medical records to reopen her claim, but the RO did not prepare a rating decision as there was no jurisdiction due to the finality of the previous denial.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed in-service stressors were not verified and did not establish a diagnosis of PTSD. The preponderance of evidence established that any current psychiatric disorder is not related to service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder due to a lack of competent evidence linking these conditions to service. The examiner concluded that both diagnoses were not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded as there is no competent evidence linking his symptoms to an undiagnosed illness or any other condition.

The appeal is dismissed because the veteran died during the pendency of the appeal, making it moot.

The veteran's chest pain was treated at a private hospital, and he was transferred to the VA for further care. The Board finds that the treatment provided by the private hospital was authorized and thus grants payment or reimbursement.

The appellant's anxiety disorder is rated at the highest possible level of disability, warranting a 70 percent evaluation. The other service-connected conditions are not entitled to increased evaluations.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including muscle aches, heart and chest pain, memory loss, anxiety and nervousness, respiratory disorder, joint pain, fatigue, sleep disorder, and headaches, were not found to be related to his period of active military service.

The Board has denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder with depressive features, finding that his disability does not meet or nearly approximate the level of severity required for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the veteran's pre-existing obsessive compulsive disorder did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during service and that none of his other diagnosed psychiatric conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder warrants a 50 percent evaluation, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.