Anxiety decisions — 2010

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety is currently rated at 30% from March 19, 2009. The Veteran also has a current rating of 10% for her patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee with minimal degenerative joint disease of both knees.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA examinations to address his heart disorder, service connection claim, and TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of whether the August 23, 1989, rating decision denying service connection for PTSD was clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's medical history and need for further clarification of his mental health conditions during service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training, obtaining VA treatment records, and scheduling a psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is manifested by panic attacks more than once a week, impaired judgment, disturbances of mood, and difficulty in establishing effective work and social relationships. The Board finds that these symptoms are productive of an overall level of impairment that meets the 50 percent rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death from squamous cell cancer of the esophagus. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for a heart murmur and granted service connection for an anxiety disorder, but the RO has not yet issued a Statement of the Case regarding the issue of compensable disability ratings from June 20, 2002 to July 05, 2003, and to disability ratings in excess of 10 percent from July 5, 2003 to July 1, 2009, and in excess of 30 percent from July 1, 2009 for an anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for further development and examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death. The appellant is seeking service connection for cause of death and needs a VA medical opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, scheduling a psychiatric examination, and rescheduling the TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, must be remanded due to the need for further evidentiary development regarding his claimed stressors and whether he has any other acquired psychiatric disorder related to his active service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD and her currently diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder and depression are not related to symptoms she experienced during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Multiple Sclerosis and Anxiety Disorder, are severe enough to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The decision grants a TDIU effective July 3, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Alegent Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska on April 19, 2007 is denied as the criteria for emergency treatment were not met.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD and other conditions, has been rated at 30 percent since June 25, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records from SSA and VA education records. The case will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.