Anxiety decisions — 2008

The Board has granted service connection for cubital tunnel syndrome and assigned a noncompensable evaluation. The veteran's claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of March 31, 2004 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders is remanded for further development.

The VA has denied a higher rating for the veteran's bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, currently rated at 50 percent.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability and concluded that any depression or anxiety the veteran currently experiences is not related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of death, but the evidence does not support granting the claim as the veteran's respiratory condition was not a significant contributing factor to his death.

The veteran's anxiety reaction is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a 70 percent rating is warranted. The claim for TDIU remains pending.

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and will consider service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is deferred pending further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to ensure compliance with the terms of the April 2003 remand order. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death is being reviewed by VA medical experts.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety disorder NOS and PTSD, finding that the veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to an in-service assault.

The Board has determined that the veteran's dysthymic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder warrant a 50 percent evaluation, which adequately compensates for his disability. A higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorder are due to a verified in-service stressor of sexual assault during her time in service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major depression, is aggravated by his service-connected tinea versicolor. The low back disorder is not shown to be related to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current anxiety disorder is etiologically related to his active duty service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, claimed as schizophrenia, was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to his active duty. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's social anxiety, which became service-connected on September 2, 2004, has not resulted in more than mild impairment and thus does not warrant a rating higher than the current 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Board found that the appellant's service-connected anxiety neurosis aggravated her pre-existing alcoholism, which led to her fatal myocardial infarction. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of her death is granted.

The October 1974 rating decision denied service connection for chronic emotional instability due to a personality disorder, which is not a disease or injury for VA purposes. The June 2001 rating decisions reopened the claim and denied it again based on lack of evidence showing onset in service.,The June 2001 rating decisions also denied service connection for bronchitis based on post-service medical records indicating no findings attributed to bronchitis until February 1991.