Anxiety decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and right ear hearing loss were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10% disability rating for tinnitus, but the Board found that this did not warrant an increased evaluation. His claims for ischemic heart disease, anxiety disorder, bilateral tinea pedis, and left ear hearing loss are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic adjustment disorder was rated as 50 percent disabling prior to October 4, 2013 and 70 percent disabling since then. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any time.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and records in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to traumatic brain injury, and an increased rating for residuals of a traumatic brain injury manifested by headaches.

The Veteran's bipolar II disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to concerns raised by the Court regarding the adequacy of a VA examination used in the July 2013 decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to determine if he requires the regular assistance of another person in activities of daily living, protection from ordinary hazards, bedridden status, or restricted to home due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for a variety of psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depression. The appeal seeking treatment eligibility under the PACT Act was withdrawn.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and is related to in-service noise exposure. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, which likely had its onset during service. The right and left knee disabilities are not established as having their onset during service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, finding that there was no medical evidence to support a link between the Veteran's military service and his current conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders are etiologically related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury and anxiety disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including bipolar affective disorder, anxiety disorder, psychosis NOS, and schizophrenia, are related to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, asbestosis, testicular cancer (including prostate cancer), oral cancer, and lymph node cancer (secondary to prostate cancer). The reasons were that there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD with depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder is attributable to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during service at the Korean DMZ. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to 'helpless child' benefits for M.T. on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining the age of 18, but denied the claim due to her marriage being terminated by divorce rather than annulled.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for hyperlipidemia. The remaining conditions include an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and anxiety disorders), bilateral knee osteoarthritis, hearing loss of the left ear, sleep apnea, hypertension, a low back disorder, bilateral hip osteoarthritis, tinnitus of the right ear, folliculitis, resection of left eye pterygium with residual faint nasal conjunctival scar, recurrent nasal pterygium of the right eye, and TDIU. The Veteran's hyperlipidemia claim is pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the claimed conditions and insufficient medical nexus opinions.

The Veteran's myofascial pain syndrome of the cervical and thoracic spine is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issue regarding PTSD remains pending as it involves other diagnosed psychiatric disorders.