Anxiety decisions — 2001

The veteran's hospitalization was deemed unauthorized and the VA found that a VA facility was available for his care. The Board denied reimbursement or payment due to lack of authorization and availability of VA facilities.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder warrants a 70 percent evaluation, reflecting total occupational and social impairment.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected psychoneurosis with anxiety and PTSD was denied by the RO. The case is now remanded to obtain additional medical records, address issues of tinnitus and total disability based on individual unemployability, and schedule a VA examination.

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder with dysthymic disorder is currently rated at 50 percent disabling from December 17, 1998. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding a personal assault during service and its impact on current psychiatric conditions. The veteran's claim for PTSD is reopened based on new evidence, but further development is needed to establish whether the claimed stressor occurred in service.

The veteran's PTSD was not productive of severe impairment in his ability to establish or maintain effective relationships, nor were there psychoneurotic symptoms due to PTSD resulting in severe impairment in his ability to obtain or retain employment. Bilateral frozen foot residuals and cold injury residuals were also evaluated.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected psychoneurosis, anxiety, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's anxiety depressive reaction causes total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (chronic depressive disorder) and a back disorder, but denied service connection for the veteran's anxiety reaction and organic mood disorder with psychotic features. The right leg shell fragment wound residuals are currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder does not warrant an increased evaluation beyond the current 10 percent rating.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his seizure disorder is being remanded due to uncertainty regarding the nature and frequency of his seizures. The RO will schedule him for a hospitalization at a VA facility for observation and evaluation by the neurology service.

The Board has determined that there is no service-connected disability that caused or contributed to the veteran's death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The VA has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disability, which includes anxiety neurosis with somatic and dissociative symptoms, hyperventilation syndrome, and headaches, does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 30 percent. The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's claims of CUE in the 1984 and 1985 decisions were not supported by evidence, and denied the motion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for a cervical spine condition, low back condition, anal fissures, and anxiety disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's disabilities render him unable to independently care for his daily personal needs on a regular basis without assistance from another person, meeting the criteria for special monthly pension by reason of being in need of aid and attendance.

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder and depression are rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant functional impairment.

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 100 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The Board also found that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disability and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The VA has determined that the veteran's anxiety neurosis does not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent, as it primarily manifests as depression and results in mild occupational and social impairment.