Anxiety decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected anxiety reaction with conversion features did not cause or contribute to his death. The VA treatment provided by the VA facility where he died was not determined to be a result of carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance on the part of VA.

The Board found that the veteran experienced sexual trauma in service, resulting in a current psychiatric disability of PTSD with anxiety and bipolar disorder. The Board concluded that this condition was incurred as a result of active service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and a 100 percent rating for anxiety reaction. The duodenal ulcer is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death, and no further action can be taken on this matter.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and granted service connection for angina pectoris earlier than February 20, 1991. The decision also remanded the issue of a rating in excess of 30 percent for angina pectoris with hypertension and sinus tachycardia. The motion for CUE was dismissed without prejudice to refiling.

The veteran was granted a TDIU rating with a 70% disability rating for PTSD, dysthymic disorder, and history of major depressive disorder. The effective date is set to December 17, 2000.

The Board has determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder does not warrant an increased rating to the next higher evaluation of 70 percent under either the old or new criteria. The benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine is inapplicable here because the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for an increase.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than what was currently assigned.

The Board has granted service connection for a generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board has determined that the service-connected psychiatric disability, characterized by symptoms of mild to moderate occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, did not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent prior to April 2, 2000.

The Board has granted a 100% evaluation for the veteran's anxiety neurosis, finding that it is manifested by total social and occupational impairment.

The Board denied an increased rating for anxiety disorder and the veteran's motion claiming clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in this decision was denied.

The Board found no competent evidence showing an anxiety disorder during service and concluded that the veteran's current anxiety disorder was not incurred in active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorders and PTSD, is causally linked to service. The claim for residuals of exposure to mustard gas in service was remanded but not fully addressed.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his generalized anxiety disorder was denied. The effective date for TDIU benefits was assigned as February 27, 1997.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) denied the veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder. The RO granted service connection and assigned a 10 percent rating for peptic ulcer with gastritis.

The veteran's anxiety disorder is related to his service-connected tinea cruris, manus and pedis. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinea cruris, manus and pedis has been set at September 14, 2003.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his cause of death, which was non-small cell lung cancer.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected anxiety reaction with depressive features, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cardiovascular disability and anxiety, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the latter claim. The decision on the cardiovascular disability was based on the lack of evidence showing that in-service tobacco use caused his current disabilities.