Anxiety decisions — 2002

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is productive of total occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent evaluation.

The Board finds that the appellant's disabilities, when considered in conjunction with each other, result in an inability to protect herself from the hazards and dangers of her daily environment. Therefore, she meets the criteria for a special monthly pension on account of the need for regular aid and attendance.

The veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be service-connected due to disease or injury incurred in service. The veteran's service-connected blurred vision, dizziness and headaches are granted with a 10% rating effective December 29, 1997.

The Board found that the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder did not have its origins in service or worsened as a result of service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder does not warrant a rating higher than 50 percent, as it causes occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has determined that the service-connected anxiety neurosis likely played a role in causing the veteran's fatal cardiopulmonary arrest, and thus grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric condition was not caused or worsened by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder was incurred in active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that the veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder played a significant role in his death. The decision is based on the benefit of doubt and positive medical evidence supporting the appellant's claim.

The Board found that the veteran has provided new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for a nervous disorder. However, no competent medical evidence was presented to demonstrate a diagnosed psychiatric disorder related to his period of military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's anxiety neurosis warrants a 50% rating, and granted secondary service connection for mild incoordination of the right hand due to a left-sided intracerebral hemorrhage (stroke) related to his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's anxiety and dysthymic disorders are the result of his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied an increased rating for anxiety neurosis and service connection for hypertension secondary to service connected anxiety neurosis.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder, but granted an increased rating for dorsolumbar paravertebral myositis; dorsoscoliosis.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder, currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD with anxiety does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation than 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension due to excessive income, and also denied service connection for dysthymia with anxiety or any other acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision is based on the veteran's countable annual income exceeding the maximum annual pension rate.

The veteran is granted a separate 10 percent rating for residuals of cerebral concussion effective January 30, 1982. The adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood is rated as 10 percent since November 7, 1996. The left ear injury is rated at 10 percent prior to March 20, 1996.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is now shown to be manifested by a level of impairment that more nearly approximates the criteria for a 50 percent rating, warranting an increased disability rating.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The appellant argued that her husband's psychiatric condition caused his respiratory failure and pneumonia, but the Board concluded that his anxiety disorder and depression were not significant factors in his death.