Anxiety decisions — 2012

The Veteran has been diagnosed with a cyclothymic disorder and an anxiety disorder, both of which are considered to be related to his military service. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to his service, thus granting service connection for these disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for a hearing before a different Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his generalized anxiety disorder. The case will be re-adjudicated to determine if referral for extraschedular consideration is warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, finding that the Veteran's current headache symptoms are related to his in-service head injury. The acquired psychiatric disorder claim remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including a VA mental status evaluation to determine if any of the diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, and arthralgias are not fully developed. The case is being remanded to provide further development of evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for a videoconference hearing. The current rating of 50 percent for his variously diagnosed psychiatric disability remains on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and nightmares is granted due to the occurrence of a stressor during his military service. The Board resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including dysthymic disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety with psychotic features. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature of his current diagnoses and their relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left tarsal tunnel syndrome is etiologically related to his active service and grants this claim. The acquired psychiatric disability, including social anxiety, is also found to be related to service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and polysubstance dependence have been rated based on their individual service-connected conditions since October 18, 2000. Effective November 15, 2005, his anxiety disorder was increased to a 70% rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, Social Security Administration records, and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected anxiety disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome as of March 8, 2007. The effective date for the award of a TDIU is set at January 22, 2008.

The Veteran's panic disorder with agoraphobia and generalized anxiety disorder are related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected psychiatric conditions and low back disability, as well as separate ratings for sciatica of the lower extremities, have been granted. Service connection has also been established for hypertension.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD with depression and anxiety. The Board finds that no such earlier effective date is warranted as the July 2006 rating decision denying service connection was final, and the August 2, 2007 submission constituted a new claim to reopen the previously denied claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, severe headaches, bilateral numbness in upper and lower extremities (hands and feet), acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, and skin cancer. The evidence did not establish a current disability or link to service.