Anxiety decisions — 2010

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD or any other mental disorder as a result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran was service-connected for any conditions at the time of his death, and whether these conditions contributed to his cause of death.

The Board is remanding the case to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors during service and determine if he engaged in combat with the enemy, which could affect his eligibility for service connection. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current generalized anxiety disorder is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety and depression are related to his service, as evidenced by his history of drug abuse and mental health issues during service. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorder, and whether it is related to his service-connected herpes simplex.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to address whether his anxiety and depression are related to his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no credible supporting evidence of a verified stressor.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need for a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder other than posttraumatic stress disorder is related to the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on housebound status was denied as he does not meet the criteria under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1521(e) due to his nonservice-connected disabilities and lack of permanent total disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that an increased rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The issue on appeal is whether he is entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence of record to decide whether the Veteran's currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders first manifested in service and are causally related to events during service.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder with dysthymic disorder and social anxiety disorder was not productive of total social and occupational impairment from May 4, 2000 to November 9, 2006.

The Board found that there was no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor to support a diagnosis of PTSD, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's anxiety reaction did not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent. The effective dates for the ratings and TDIU were also denied as there was no factual basis to support earlier effective dates.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or a result of his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety and depression has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, primarily depression and anxiety, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The preponderance of evidence showed no connection between his current symptoms and his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus, left ankle osteoarthritis, and anxiety disorder have been granted initial ratings of 10%, 20%, and 10% respectively. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 30%. The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20%. The Veteran's anxiety disorder remains at a 10% rating.