Anxiety decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, warrants a 100 percent rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip disability, but denied the remaining claims as there is no current chronic acquired psychiatric disability or a chronic gynecological disability related to an endometrial polyp.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 50 percent for the service-connected anxiety disorder, finding that the disability did not meet criteria warranting a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to procedural and evidentiary deficiencies.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for anxiety reaction and depression, effective from May 27, 2004. The veteran's service connection claims for foot condition, right knee injury, left knee injury, residuals of a broken jaw, hypertension, scarring of lungs, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss have been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board has determined that there is no medical evidence linking the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder to his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and obtaining a medical opinion to determine if the veteran's service-connected anxiety reaction contributed to his death.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder contributed to his death, thus granting entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as it is res judicata and does not have jurisdiction to address whether the veteran's TDIU rating was properly terminated effective May 1, 1981.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression does not warrant a rating higher than 50 percent, as it results in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric or psychological disorders, including depressive and anxiety disorders, were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly assess the veteran's claims, including considering the presumption of soundness and any potential service connection for Gulf War vaccinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD with anxiety reaction, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a compensable rating or any increase in rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety neurosis). The evidence did not support a higher rating for diabetes, and there was no clear evidence of a link between the veteran's current psychiatric condition and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD with anxiety, residuals of a head injury, hypertension, and bronchitis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD warrants a 30 percent disability rating, reflecting occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling an orthopedic examination and addressing his claim of increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder with headaches.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected anxiety disorder, finding that the disability picture did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder and depression is currently rated at 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a 70 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 9411. The claim for increased ratings for psoriasis, right foot bunionectomy, and left foot bunionectomy was denied as there is no evidence of current hammertoes.