Anxiety decisions — 2015

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected. The psychiatric, low back, elbow, and knee disorders are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cost of room and board at Lakeview Park, including through The Caring Group, is a deductible medical expense for the purpose of calculating his countable income towards the payment of nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of anxiety disorder with depressive disorder, service connection for cerebrovascular disease, and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, anxiety disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the knees, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and headaches. The appeals were decided as denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and mood disorder, are related to her service, particularly her reported personal/sexual assault during active duty. The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence in equipoise to support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety reaction and associated panic attacks have rendered him unemployable, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder has been granted. He is currently rated at 70 percent for his Major Depressive Disorder, which meets the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks (also claimed as PTSD), is currently rated at 50 percent. The symptoms include frequent panic attacks and difficulties in maintaining social and occupational relationships.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence does not support a finding that his currently diagnosed conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is required to determine if any psychiatric disorders are related to service or the service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and erectile dysfunction, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his active service.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder related to service. The Veteran's anxiety disorder was not shown to be caused by her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The diagnosis of PTSD is based on current symptoms and not solely on a previous diagnosis in VA records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining evidence to corroborate the in-service assault event and providing notice under 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f).

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and dysthymic disorder. Service connection was also granted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and panic disorder with agoraphobia, is found to be caused by his service-connected residuals of multiple herniorrhaphies and malrotation repair. The Board has also determined that the Veteran's sleep problems are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and granted service connection for a psychiatric disability (depressive disorder). The Veteran's right knee disorder is not considered to be related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher initial rating. The left knee disability remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is now rated at 70 percent effective from March 25, 2014.