Anxiety decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to new and material evidence having been submitted. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of additional development.

The Veteran's chronic adjustment disorder was found to have occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from July 30, 2010. Prior to that date, the impairment did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and depression have been rated at a 50% disability level, reflecting significant impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated at 10 percent since March 2010, with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is related to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to insufficient evidence regarding his combined service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment, as well as for referral of the issue to the Director of VA's Compensation and Pension Service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety disorder NOS, dysthymia, and major depressive disorder, was found to have its onset in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board hearing. The initial rating of 10 percent for adjustment disorder, with mixed anxiety and depression, remains unchanged.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric condition, including depression and anxiety disorder with obsessive compulsive disorder traits, as secondary to his service-connected cervical sprain/strain, lumbosacral sprain/strain, and bilateral wrist tendonitis disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional development of medical records and personnel history.

The Board has granted service connection for undifferentiated somatization disorder, major depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. The Veteran's psychiatric conditions are believed to have originated during his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder that is the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, MDD with psychotic features, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of her claims file.

The Board has determined that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased initial rating for diabetes mellitus. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a causal link between the Veteran's current psychiatric disability and any in-service disease or injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection of PTSD. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran did not meet at least two of the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and instead diagnosed him with anxiety disorder, NOS. The Veteran's symptoms are more consistent with his post-service period.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 4, 1998 for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as a matter of law.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders of depression and anxiety are not related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and substance abuse were denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD, the earliest evidence of psychiatric problems was 16 years after discharge from military service, and the VA examiners did not find a link between his current conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for polycythemia vera and major depression and generalized anxiety disorder as secondary to the Veteran's polycythemia vera. The evidence is at least evenly balanced on whether polycythemia vera was incurred in service, but there are conflicting opinions regarding its relationship to chemical exposure during service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board has determined that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.