Anxiety decisions — 2014

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as anxiety disorder, was found to be related to his military service. Bilateral hearing loss is also attributable to military service. The claim for tinnitus remains pending due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, depression, nervousness, fear, and anxiety, is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depression, are not service-connected due to lack of evidence supporting a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to address her claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and dysthymic disorder, were incurred in service as they are symptomatology associated with his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's reported in-service stressor could not be verified and there is no competent evidence relating any psychiatric disability to an in-service event, injury, or disease. As a result, service connection for PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder cannot be granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a BVA hearing. The issues of service connection for generalized anxiety disorder, prostatitis, and hypertension are still pending.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is at least as likely as not incurred during or as a result of his active service. Service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and potentially obtain VA Vocational Rehabilitation records. The issues of service connection for PTSD, bipolar disorder, and a personality disorder are currently before the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder has been rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate given his symptoms of occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent disability rating for his service-connected anxiety disorder was denied as there is no evidence of an ascertainable increase in the disability within one year prior to September 19, 2006.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. The issue is remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically anxiety disorder NOS. The Veteran's current diagnoses are supported by competent medical evidence, with the exception of his previous diagnoses which were ruled out in the May 2013 VHA opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and a new VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety and depression, as well as for a low back disability (lumbar stenosis), but denied service connection for a chronic skin disorder and a bilateral shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, depression and a mood disorder, is found to be related to his service in the Republic of Afghanistan. The claim for GERD is remanded due to missing VA treatment records.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted, as the evidence supports a finding that his current disability is related to in-service noise exposure. The hearing loss and psychiatric claims are remanded for further development.