Anxiety decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and his claimed stressors are not corroborated by any credible supporting evidence. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, an anxiety disorder other than PTSD, a depressive disorder, a bipolar disorder, a mood disorder other than a depressive or bipolar disorder, an adjustment disorder, and an impulse control disorder, is denied.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, dizziness, anxiety, high cholesterol, and a cervical spine disability. The claim for hypertension was not reopened as new and material evidence was not received.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and an anxiety disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected anxiety reaction, as there are indications that his symptoms have worsened since the last examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for anxiety disorder and service connection for PTSD. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's initial 30 percent rating for PTSD remains unchanged, and the appeal is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder are attributable to service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete consideration of his psychiatric disability, including PTSD and other conditions. The RO is instructed to obtain all relevant VA treatment records and provide the Veteran with another opportunity to submit evidence.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been manifested by symptoms that have resulted in no worse than occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, warranting a 30 percent initial evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of high cholesterol was denied as it is not a disability for VA compensation purposes. The Veteran's claims for increased rating for hypothyroidism and service connection for anxiety disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically generalized anxiety disorder. The decision found that there was no evidence of a compensable level of hearing impairment prior to July 13, 2005, and that from this date onward, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 20 percent. For his anxiety disorder claim, additional development is required as substantial compliance with the February 2008 Board remand instructions has not been achieved.

The Board found that the Veteran does not currently have an acquired psychiatric disorder and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not sufficient by themselves to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period prior to June 2, 2010.

The Veteran died from coronary/respiratory insufficiency due to coronary artery disease. His anxiety disorder was not found to be a cause of his death.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder, is found to be service-connected due to in-service trauma. Residuals of a traumatic brain injury are also found to be service-connected. The right knee disorder is not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including providing notice of recent regulatory amendments and attempting to obtain more information regarding the Veteran's alleged stressors. A VA examination is also required.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is being remanded due to changes in the regulations regarding stressor development. Further examination and opinion are needed to determine if a sufficient in-service stressor exists and whether any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and psychosis, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim was reopened based on new evidence but still denied.