Anxiety decisions — 2013

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral leg disability, bilateral knee disability, and back disability due to a lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate reasoning in a prior VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including right ear hearing loss and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder has been granted. The decision is based on the established link between these conditions and his in-service parachute accident.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA psychiatric examination and addressing the TDIU claim.

The VA has determined that the appellant's mixed anxiety-depressive disorder, which was initially rated at 30 percent, warrants no higher rating based on his symptoms of occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the Veteran's condition is at least as likely as not incurred during his active military service. The remaining issues of an increased evaluation for anxiety disorder and entitlement to a TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression has been rated at 70 percent since November 6, 2008. The evidence does not show total occupational and social impairment or exceptional circumstances that would render the assigned rating inadequate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not suffer from a psychiatric disorder during his active service and there is no competent evidence relating his current psychiatric disorders to his active service. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and providing a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety reaction, secondary to intracranial infection and viral encephalitis, has been rated at 30 percent since the initial grant of service connection in January 2007. The current evaluation is deemed insufficient given his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for her acquired neuropsychiatric disorder, anxiety disorder NOS with features of atypical panic symptoms and PTSD and depressive disorder NOS was granted. The effective date for this grant is December 8, 1994.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA vocational rehabilitation records and confirming his reported stressors. He will also be scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he meets the criteria for PTSD and whether it is related to service. Additionally, he will undergo a VA general medical examination to assess the severity of his service-connected orthopedic disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and updating the record with any recent VA treatment records. The case will be reviewed to determine if service connection can be granted for his claimed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a right ankle sprain, and depression/anxiety. However, no effective date is assigned as the evidence does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and further development of the record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting new examinations. The case will be readjudicated after the development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed PTSD, but has an anxiety disorder. The anxiety disorder is related to service and granted. However, the PTSD claim was denied as there was no in-service stressor verified.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), including major depressive disorder, and assigned a compensable rating of 40 percent. The left ankle Achilles tendonitis is also service-connected as secondary to the service-connected left heel fracture.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and anxiety disorder) has been granted. The issue of reopening the previously denied dental condition claim has also been resolved, with new evidence submitted that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. Service connection was not established for an eye disorder, diabetes mellitus, or bilateral hearing loss.