Anxiety decisions — 2000

The veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder is so severe that it renders him totally disabled and unemployable, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by his service or any service-connected conditions, and thus denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The VA has determined that the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder warrants a 50 percent rating, effective August 8, 1990. The current criteria do not support an increase in the rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death is not well grounded because there is no competent medical evidence linking his established service-connected psychiatric disorder to his death.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to care for his daily personal needs without assistance from others, unable to protect himself from the hazards and dangers of daily living, or substantially confined to his dwelling. Therefore, he is not entitled to special monthly compensation based on a need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board finds that the appellant's disabilities do not render him housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance, thus denying his claims for special monthly pension by reason of being in need of regular aid and attendance of another person or on account of being housebound.

The veteran's death was not service-connected, and the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's disabilities did not meet the criteria for aid and attendance benefits or housebound benefits, as he was able to perform basic daily life processes with assistance from his girlfriend.

The Board has determined that the appellant's solar keratoses (pre-cancerous) of the forehead and scalp, excessive tooth loss with bone loss, and fragile skin with excessive bruising are related to service exposure to ionizing radiation. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for TDIU in November 1985, concluding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from some form of substantially gainful employment compatible with his education and occupational experience.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not provide a new and material basis to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression.

The RO denied service connection and a noncompensable rating for the veteran's claimed conditions, including head concussion with headaches and anxiety neurosis.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations of her service-connected eye disorder, anxiety neurosis, and hemorrhoids. The maximum schedular ratings were assigned for her service-connected eye disorder and anxiety neurosis from August 31, 1998, but the claim was denied as there is no evidence of new or material evidence to reopen her case.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for generalized anxiety disorder, finding that the veteran's symptoms meet the criteria for this level of disability. The gallbladder/colon disability is considered plausible but not yet service-connected.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit evidence of a medical relationship between his current cerebellar degeneration, anxiety reaction, and fatigue, and exposure to Agent Orange. The claim was denied.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current GAD and his service-connected subtotal gastrectomy, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has dismissed the appellant's appeal for service connection for an increased rating for her husband's anxiety disorder, as she did not submit a timely substantive appeal.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected anxiety disorder is being remanded due to the lack of adequate current evidence and a need for clarification.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected psychoneurosis, mixed type (anxiety, hysteria), currently rated as 10 percent disabling, has been denied due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining records of recent treatment and a VA examination.