Anxiety decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified anxiety disorder and depression with alcohol use disorder, was incurred in military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for a new VA examination. The issues include increased rating for PTSD and depressive disorder, as well as service connection for CFS.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records, specifically from his Vet Center and CBOC. The initial disability rating for anxiety disorder remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, mood disorder, and panic disorder, did not develop within two years of separation from active service. Therefore, service connection for a mental illness for the purpose of establishing eligibility to treatment is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with depression, finding that the Veteran's reported in-service stressor of witnessing people getting killed or beaten up in Egypt is consistent with fear of hostile military or terrorist activity and his symptoms are related to this event. The Veteran was also granted an initial non-compensable rating for his right knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders did not manifest during or as a result of active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disabilities and tinnitus, including consideration of all diagnosed conditions under Clemons v. Shinseki.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Video Conference hearing due to his failure to report for the scheduled hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions are still pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and his currently diagnosed depression and anxiety are not related to service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for clarification of the medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep disorder and his service-connected adjustment disorder, mixed with anxiety and depressed mood.

The Veteran's current major depressive disorder with anxiety is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that this claim has been established.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of both the psychiatric disability service connection issue on appeal and the neck disability service connection issue, which is inextricably intertwined with the psychiatric claim. The AOJ should issue an SOC addressing the neck disability service connection issue and readjudicate the remaining issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities did not have onset during service and were not incurred as a result of service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder with anxiety, are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder were found to have increased in severity during his final period of service, which is considered aggravation. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder had its onset in service and the Board finds that the criteria for establishing entitlement to service connection have been met.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. The decision is based on the merits of the claim without any presumption or secondary linkage to a previously service-connected condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety disorder with depression, finding that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also granted a 20 percent evaluation for the lumbar spine disability effective from February 21, 1995 to September 13, 2008.

The Veteran's anxiety with depression and inverse psoriasis have not resulted in the level of impairment warranting a higher disability rating prior to December 12, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and anxiety not otherwise specified, are less likely than not related to his service.