Anxiety decisions — 2008

The Board found no evidence of in-service stressor for post-traumatic stress disorder, and the veteran's depression and anxiety were not shown to have had onset during service. The claims are denied.

The VA determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent from November 20, 2003.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's anxiety disorder is related to his military service.

The veteran's major depression and anxiety disorder have been granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent, effective June 10, 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a skin rash, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, a psychotic disorder, and anxiety disorder. The decision states that there was no pending claim or informal claim before January 30, 2004, and thus no basis to assign an earlier effective date.

The veteran's claims for service connection and a higher rating are being remanded to the RO for additional development of evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss or PTSD, depression, or mixed adjustment disorder with depressed mood and anxiety that is related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a new examination.

The veteran is seeking service connection for an anxiety disorder, variably diagnosed as a panic disorder without agoraphobia. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary due to the inadequacy of the current medical opinion and missing in-service mental health treatment records.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise and grants service connection for depression with panic and anxiety secondary to his service-connected disability.

The veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability from June 29, 2001 forward. However, prior to this date, the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The appellant's January 1969 hospitalization was for a nonservice-connected condition (moderately severe peptic ulcer disease) and did not meet the criteria for a temporary total evaluation or TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's appeal involves the initial rating for dysthymia and anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD) prior to June 3, 2008, and a higher rating from that date. The RO has not obtained all relevant medical records and needs to arrange for an examination and obtain additional evidence before proceeding with the decision.

The veteran's service-connected low back disability warrants a 20 percent rating effective March 9, 2005. Her anxiety disorder is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The veteran seeks service connection for an anxiety disorder due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The January 2007 VA examination concluded that the current depression was unlikely related to his hearing loss, but a September 2008 VA physician's assistant opinion found it related to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. Further development is needed.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claim as he did not file a valid and timely substantive appeal.

The Board found that the severance of service connection for PTSD with anxiety/depression was not proper due to insufficient evidence of clear and unmistakable error in the original grant of service connection.

The Board has granted the veteran's petition to reopen a claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizophrenia on both direct and secondary basis. The case is remanded for further development.