Anxiety decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to verify in-service stressors and obtain VA treatment records. The case will be reviewed under the amended PTSD regulations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include anxiety. The claim for prostate cancer was reduced from a 100 percent evaluation to a 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The issues are about an initial rating for anxiety disorder and service connection for hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding Social Security Administration records and other necessary actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, small cell carcinoma of the lung, was not related to his service-connected disabilities or any in-service radiation exposure. The medical opinions of record found no connection between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his cause of death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and review, including an initial review of the Veteran's claim for service connection for depression as secondary to pain from service-connected disabilities. The RO must also consider all acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as anxiety, depression and PTSD, finding that his account of in-service stressors is credible and related to his current symptoms. The diagnosis of PTSD was linked to his confirmed in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing. The claims for service connection remain pending and will be addressed after the hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a VA examination to address the etiology of his Multiple Sclerosis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's depressive disorder with anxiety is rated at 50 percent, effective December 20, 2005. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting special monthly compensation based on this need.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is causally linked to in-service stressors he reported.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is etiologically related to active duty service. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, remains pending.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent evaluation prior to March 10, 2010. The claim for TDIU was also granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a seizure disorder, higher initial ratings for degenerative joint disease with osteoarthritis, L3-L5, and osteoarthritis, C4-C6 have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed these appeals.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his psychiatric and orthopedic disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for the psychiatric disability prior to June 24, 2002, or in excess of 70 percent as of June 24, 2002. For his left and right knee disabilities, the Board found that evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 21, 2002 and April 19, 2006 for service connection of generalized anxiety disorder with bipolar disorder and major depression, and bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The appeal was also reopened on new evidence.