Anxiety decisions — 2014

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, NOS. The Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are found to be directly related to his active service.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood has been rated at 30 percent since July 6, 2007. The Board finds that the disability is currently manifested by ongoing symptoms of depression and anxiety, with irritability, panic attacks, chronic sleep disturbance, social withdrawal, and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores ranging from 50-70, productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD with adjustment disorder has resulted in reduced reliability and productivity, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be related to his period of active service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has received notification from the appellant's representative that they wish to withdraw their appeal, leading to its dismissal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for seizures, to include as secondary to PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of a new issue regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an anxiety disability including PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to evaluate his service-connected disabilities and determine if he is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, as well as a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression and alcohol abuse is as likely as not related to his military service, and the Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a stomach disorder, including psychophysiological GI reaction and granted a TDIU. The claims for increased ratings for major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder, NOS, and hemorrhoids and anal fissure are remanded due to the Veteran's timely notice of disagreement.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated at 70 percent since July 6, 2007. The Board also found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected anxiety disorder and granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge due to the Acting VLJ who held the previous hearing no longer being employed at the Board.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and determining whether the Veteran is receiving Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits. The AOJ must consider all evidence of record in readjudicating the claim.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, is related to military sexual trauma during service. The Board finds reasonable doubt in favor of the occurrence of this trauma and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection of a left elbow disability, an acquired psychiatric disability other than major depressive disorder, and TDIU. His claim for increased evaluation of major depressive disorder was granted with a rating of 70%. Service connection for hypertension secondary to major depressive disorder was granted.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to higher ratings for anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, as well as TDIU, will be reconsidered.

The Veteran was granted service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and TDIU effective December 27, 2006. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date is this date.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and insomnia, and whether it is related to her service-connected lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's suicide was not caused by his service-connected emphysema, but rather by a combination of factors including pre-existing psychiatric conditions and stressors. The Board finds that the service-connected condition did not contribute to cause his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss originated in service due to acoustic trauma, and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.