Anxiety decisions — 2011

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, depression, and mood disorder. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Sjogren's syndrome and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have resulted in a combined rating of 90 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of unemployability due to these service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder, bilateral hand disorder, sinus disorder, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease, major depressive disorder, cervical strain with degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and generalized anxiety disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from Social Security Administration.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal for a disability evaluation in excess of 70 percent for the service-connected psychological reaction with moderate anxiety, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cause of death, blunt head injury due to fall from upright position to surface, was not caused or contributed substantially or materially by a service-connected disability. The VA examiner opined that alcohol intoxication was at least as likely as not a contributing factor in the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's mood disorder, due to traumatic brain injury, is currently rated at 50 percent and his TDIU claim is granted. The rating reflects significant impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Board denied all issues on appeal, including service connection claims and a claim for an increased rating for the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The Veteran meets the schedular criteria under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) and the benefit of the doubt rule applies.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder, rated at 70 percent disabling, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his symptoms do not result in total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as there was no indication of an informal claim prior to the assigned effective dates.,An initial compensable rating for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service and denied service connection for substance abuse as a result of his own willful misconduct.

The Veteran's general anxiety disorder is more likely related to his service-connected prostate cancer, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected adjustment disorder, with mixed anxiety, depressed mood and headaches, is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records from Lexington VAMC. A psychiatric examination is also required to determine if any diagnosed PTSD or other psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development of his claims, including obtaining treatment records and arranging for VA examinations.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder was granted service connection and assigned a 30 percent disability rating, effective June 25, 1998. The appeal is for an increased rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right hip and knee disability, psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD), sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorder, and hemorrhoids. The decision found that these conditions were not related to his military service.