Anxiety decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for an increased rating for low back pain as the residual of a back injury. The evidence submitted since the 1976 decision did not meet the criteria to reopen the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current anxiety disorder is related to his time in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete verification of her periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training. Additional VA examinations will be scheduled to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for depression and anxiety. The veteran's current diagnoses of major depressive disorder and anxiety were determined not to be related to his military service or any incident therein.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to their combined effect, as they allow for some form of substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury in December 1997, finding no current disability related to service. New evidence submitted since then does not provide new and material evidence to reopen the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for postoperative residuals of a deviated nasal septum and his current psychiatric disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for residuals of the surgical correction of a deviated septum. The Board also found that the veteran's current psychiatric conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and migraine headaches, finding no new and material evidence to reopen his claims.

The Board found that the veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, was denied due to lack of evidence supporting the occurrence of the alleged stressors. The veteran's statements regarding physical assault and racism were not corroborated by other evidence in the record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pre-existing psychiatric disability, including agoraphobia, dysthymia, and generalized anxiety disorder, worsened during his period of active duty. Therefore, service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of evidence, including verification of stressors and additional medical records. The veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disability, including PTSD and anxiety, is pending.

The Board found that serotonin syndrome is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and denied the claim for generalized anxiety disorder as there was no evidence of complaints, treatment, findings or diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder during service.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD and the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD must be denied. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, was also denied as there is no competent evidence linking such disorder to a service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The right distal ulna fracture claim was granted with a compensable rating, but the other claims related to anxiety disorder, right knee condition, diabetes, left knee condition, and rectal carcinoma were all denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, effective from October 4, 1999. The veteran's claim was reopened based on new and material evidence submitted after the initial denial in 1980.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gastritis, hepatitis C, and an anxiety disorder to include PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient information regarding the veteran's claimed stressful experiences during service and for a psychiatric examination.

The VA has granted service connection for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder, but only after reopening the claim on new evidence. The initial rating assigned is 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 8045-9304.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding his claimed hearing loss, back disorder, and pulmonary disorders. The issues of service connection for hypertension and a psychiatric disorder are also being remanded.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence regarding his employment status and medical records.