Anxiety decisions — 2012

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder with cognitive disorder contributed substantially or materially to his death from pneumonia, and the Board finds it at least as likely as not that this disability caused or aggravated his condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including panic disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his current psychiatric conditions are related to events in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder with anxiety, is due to his service-connected right knee and left foot disorders. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than dementia/Alzheimer's disease, including PTSD and anxiety disorders, on the basis of a stressor related to his service aboard the USS Oriskany in October 1966. The claim is based on accrued benefits as the Veteran died after the initial decision but before the appeal was decided.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks due to difficulty staying asleep, panic attacks occurring less frequently than once per week, anxiety, and depressed mood.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current acquired psychiatric disorder and whether it is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 50 percent prior to March 20, 2007 and increased to 70 percent from that date. The appeal is for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and possible SSA disability benefits records. The case will be reviewed after these records are obtained.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including anxiety disorder, hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, athlete's foot and toenail fungus, plantar fasciitis, sinus disability, high cholesterol, heart disability, back disability with sciatica, numbness of the right lower extremity, ruptured disc, neck injury, and left arm and shoulder disability. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has granted the Appellant's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and anxiety.