Anxiety decisions — 2010

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for anxiety neurosis/schizophrenia, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as his reported stressors have not been verified and he did not engage in combat. As such, the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that his current symptoms are causally related to his active service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for generalized anxiety disorder was granted, and he is now receiving a 30 percent disability evaluation from April 2, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining additional medical records. The issues of increased ratings for generalized anxiety disorder with headaches and lumbosacral strain are also being addressed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's reported history and need for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and psychiatric disorder, but denied service connection on the merits. The evidence does not establish a link between any current psychiatric disorders and active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be secondary to his service-connected hemorrhoids, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are denied as there is no evidence to support the assertions of secondary service connection or a direct relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death was not due to service-connected conditions, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability was granted a 50 percent evaluation beginning February 5, 2008. The effective date for TDIU is set at February 11, 1992.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence received since the June 2001 rating decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate any of the claims and does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of the claims.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for obsessive compulsive disorder, but the Board finds that the claim was not pending prior to January 20, 2006 and thus no earlier effective date is warranted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder (currently identified as PTSD) is currently rated at 10 percent, the minimum rating available for a service-connected disability. The symptoms are considered mild and do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently evaluated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the new information.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major depression, was not caused or aggravated by his excess, post-angioplasty with aortic dissection cardiovascular disability for which he has already received benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for her psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety reaction, bipolar disorder with posttraumatic stress disorder, was denied as the evidence of record did not show entitlement to this rating prior to May 7, 2004.