Anxiety decisions — 2011

The Board is considering multiple issues related to service connection and effective dates for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss. The decision on these matters is mixed as some claims are granted while others are denied or have their effective dates changed.

The June 8, 1962 rating decision reducing the disability rating from 50% to 30% for anxiety reaction is found to contain clear and unmistakable error.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including anxiety disorder, vascular dementia, depression secondary to a stroke and dementia, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, and alcohol abuse in full sustained remission, were not incurred or aggravated by his active service. The VA examiner opined that it is less likely as not that these conditions were incurred during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is related to service. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and panic disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's tension headaches were found to have started in service and he was granted service connection. For his acquired psychiatric disability, the Board determined that a rating of 50% is warranted based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, somatization disorder, and PTSD are linked to her in-service sexual assault. Service connection is denied for endometriosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete records and other issues.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD), effective from May 20, 2008. The Veteran meets the criteria for this increased rating based on his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Veteran is granted service connection for PTSD and related psychiatric conditions, including dysthymic disorder, psychosis NOS, depressive disorder NOS, and anxiety disorder. The in-service stressor of witnessing a Thai soldier's brutal murder has been verified.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and polysubstance abuse, was denied as she did not meet the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a preexisting condition of PTSD or any other diagnosed psychiatric disability in service, nor could it be linked to service.

The Veteran claims service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, memory loss, inability to sleep, anger management, and speech difficulty. The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine if any current psychiatric disorders had their onset during active duty.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The underlying issue of whether there is a link between any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders and his military service will be addressed through further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxiety is of service origin and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD) was granted, with an effective date of July 3, 2008. His service connection for bilateral pes planus remains unresolved.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed as a result.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions and obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of an increased initial rating for anxiety disorder NOS and TDIU are also being remanded.