Anxiety decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, but the Board has reopened his claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD due to new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently has PTSD related to his service and whether any other acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and verifying the Veteran's reported stressors. The Veteran is also scheduled for VA examinations to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his claimed left knee disability and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine the etiology of his current psychiatric conditions. The case also requires verification of in-service stressors related to PTSD.

The VA treatment did not result in any additional residuals of a myocardial infarction.,The VA treatment did not result in any additional anginal pain.,There is no competent medical evidence establishing that the veteran had a morphine overdose during the course of treatment at the VA facility, and even if he did, any residuals were acute and transitory and did not result in additional disability.,The VA treatment did not result in any additional disability to a condition manifested by a low heart rate, alternating high and low blood pressure, fatigue, insomnia, restlessness, nausea, lightheadedness, and dizziness.,The VA treatment did not result in any additional psychiatric disability.,The VA treatment did not result in any additional headaches.

The Veteran's headaches are etiologically related to his service-connected PTSD and its associated mental health conditions, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), tension, and anxiety. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports this relationship.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is found to be related to service. The issue of residuals of a cranial injury and acquired psychiatric disability will require further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is found to be related to service, while his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown by competent evidence to be etiologically related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have bilateral hearing loss or a right shoulder disorder for which service connection is warranted. The claim for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety) remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected major depression with anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent since March 26, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is not shown to meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, and his claim for TDIU based on this condition was denied.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for depression and anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his active service. The Board did not address service connection for PTSD or mood disorder due to lack of evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and inpatient/outpatient treatment records. The Veteran's psychiatric condition will be evaluated to determine if it is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depression, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his period of active military service. The case must be remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the likelihood that any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was caused or aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and re-adjudicating the claims. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder is being considered, as well as his request to reopen his claim for depression and anxiety secondary to a back disorder.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, and therefore the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claim for service connection and that the criteria for DIC benefits were not met.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's allegations and lack of corroborating evidence. The appeal is currently pending.