Anxiety decisions — 2013

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to service, including his reported sexual assault in service. The appeal is being remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA psychiatric examination and an opinion regarding the etiology of any acquired psychiatric disabilities diagnosed during the pendency of the claim, including whether they are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including consideration of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder as part of the claim. The Veteran's service connection claim will be reconsidered based on new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and finds that the Veteran's current diagnoses of adjustment disorder and anxiety disorder are related to his service-connected PTSD. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is denied.

The Board has remanded the claim due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether any psychiatric disorder identified during the pendency of the claim is related to active service.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression has been granted, but the current rating of 50% is not sufficient to reflect his symptoms. The VA examiner found that his condition results in marked impairment on interpersonal relationships and vocational functioning.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with her education and industrial background.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an etiological opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric conditions and their relationship to his service-connected asbestosis.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and anxiety disorder were rated at a 30 percent prior to February 3, 2012. After that date, the rating was increased to 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disability is related to service or aggravated by other service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's claimed in-service stressors are also being evaluated.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and depressive disorder have been rated at 50% since the initial rating decision, reflecting significant impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and verifying inservice stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent prior to June 15, 2009. The Board granted a higher rating of 70 percent for PTSD effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder alone renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for special monthly compensation at the housebound rate effective July 24, 2009.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and the competent medical opinions state that his anxiety disorder did not manifest until approximately 50 years after active service and is unrelated to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability is not related to her service-connected hypertension and denies the claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The evidence received since the previous denial supports a current diagnosis of PTSD related to a verified in-service stressor.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of a depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are at least in equipoise with respect to being caused by his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded pending further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records. The issue of an increased rating for PTSD remains on appeal.