Anxiety decisions — 2014

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development due to incomplete opinions from a previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a statement of the case regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, as well as entitlement to service connection for a bilateral leg disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected psychiatric disability (Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder) is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal concerning the increased initial ratings for anxiety disorder and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disability or a back disability that is causally related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence, and continuity of symptomatology is not shown.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development including obtaining service treatment records and personnel records, verifying stressors, and scheduling a psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence. The issues of service connection for psychiatric disorders, foot disorder, bilateral knee disorder, stomach disorder, and right arm disorder are all under consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected asthma contributed to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a mental condition, specifically anxiety disorder and bi-polar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from the examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability substantially contributed to his death from pneumonia, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis and COPD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and/or anxiety disorder, is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, panic disorder, schizophrenia with depression, anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder, were incurred during his military service. As a result, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, as well as any SSA records. The claims will be adjudicated in light of all pertinent evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional private medical records from Providence Hospital in Olympia, Washington. The claims will be adjudicated again after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of neck disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral eye disability, bilateral feet disability, diabetes mellitus, heart attack caused by clogged artery, psychiatric disorder (anxiety attacks and nervousness), headaches, bilateral leg disability, and bilateral arm disability have been withdrawn. The claim for service connection for a back disability is denied as there is no competent evidence of a current diagnosis. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability is also denied due to lack of competent medical evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his Generalized Anxiety Disorder with PTSD is being remanded to the RO for further action, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of whether the Veteran's claimed stressor falls within the purview of fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The appeal will be considered de novo after these actions.

The Board denied the claim for a TDIU due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder precludes her from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic adjustment disorder was initially rated at 10 percent prior to August 11, 2010 and increased to 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the Veteran's family doctor since 2010 and providing an addendum opinion based on these records.