Anxiety decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death, and thus denied service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking the cause of death to either the veteran's service or his service-connected anxiety reaction.

The Board has granted the claim, finding that the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is secondary to his service-connected asbestosis.

The Board is remanding the case to comply with a previous order and review by a cardiologist, as well as consider additional records from the VA clinic.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected anxiety reaction, finding that the current 30 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his disability based on the evidence provided.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, finding that he did not meet the criteria for eligibility due to lack of anatomical loss or use of limbs.

The VA Regional Office (RO) has determined that the original grant of service connection for recurrent depression with a generalized anxiety disorder was erroneous due to incorrect diagnosis, and thus severed this benefit. The veteran's current psychiatric condition is now diagnosed as bipolar disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was secondary to his service-connected back disability and denied TDIU benefits due to lack of evidence showing material improvement in employment capacity. The decision is now considered clearly erroneous.

The Board has granted a 100% evaluation for an anxiety disorder and a 10 percent evaluation for a seizure disorder, effective September 3, 1992. The veteran is now eligible to receive attorney fees from past-due benefits resulting from this decision.

The veteran's claim for VA outpatient dental treatment is denied as his conditions do not meet the eligibility criteria for Class III or Class VI treatment.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking any service-connected disability to his death.

The veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability prevents him from engaging in substantially gainful employment compatible with his work experience and education, thus meeting the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, finding no current disability and insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between any diagnosed condition and service.

The veteran's claims for major depression and anxiety, PTSD, and low back condition are denied as they do not meet the criteria for well-groundedness. The claim for arthritis of the left foot and ankle is also denied.,PTSD was supported by medical evidence linking it to service-related stressors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression warrants a rating of 100 percent, effective from when his disability was first service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected anxiety reaction does not result in impairment which warrants a compensable rating according to the general criteria for evaluation of mental disorders. As such, an increased (compensable) evaluation is denied.

The veteran's death was due to end stage renal disease and hypertension. The Board found that the veteran, who had been continuously rated as totally disabled for a period of more than ten years prior to his death, would have been entitled to receive a 100% disability evaluation if he had filed a claim for such benefits before February 1979.

The Board has determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claimed disabilities, including depression, dysthymia, anxiety, psoriasis, hypertension, and low back strain, are not service-connected. The RO found that these conditions are secondary to his alcohol dependence and marijuana abuse.