Anxiety decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any chronic residuals from his heat stroke and heat exhaustion incidents. The Board finds that he does not have a current diagnosis of such residuals.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for anxiety disorder, hypertension, familial tremor, and IBS. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome was rated at 40 percent effective June 4, 2008. Prior to that date, the rating for IDS was increased from 20 percent.

The Veteran's back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) are not service-connected. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran does not have PTSD and the preponderance of evidence shows that his current psychiatric conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected lower back disability is not manifested by unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine, or intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12 months. Therefore, his claim for higher ratings was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's anxiety disorder, NOS, with PTSS, finding that his in-service combat experiences caused this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or aggravated by any service-connected condition, including his anxiety disorder. The intra-abdominal event leading to septic shock was unrelated to medications used for his anxiety disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, is being remanded due to the need for further development. The case will be returned to the RO after scheduling a video conference hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The issues include increased evaluations and reopening of service connection claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, coronary disease with dilated cardiomyopathy, residuals of frostbite, headaches, shoulder disability, and depression/anxiety. The claim for an eye disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to Agent Orange and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to address the etiology of his psychiatric disabilities and whether they are related to service or secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine the correct diagnosis of any psychiatric disorder and whether it is at least as likely as not related to service. The appellant's claim will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, anxiety and depression is remanded due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination. Other issues related to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy are also being referred back to the RO.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed acquired mental health disabilities, including schizophrenia and generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's lay assertions of in-service stressors are sufficient to establish their occurrence and a link between those stressors and his symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 10 percent prior to April 21, 2010. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the symptoms do not meet the criteria for a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent.