Anxiety decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disabilities have resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70 percent rating since August 24, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including stressor verification and a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and unclear treatment history. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being reviewed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claim for his acquired psychiatric condition, anxiety disorder. The decision also addressed hypertension and hepatic steatosis but did not reach a final determination on these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's rating for rheumatoid arthritis was restored from a reduced 40% to the original 60%. Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis affecting his hips and hands. The low back disorder is also found to be related to his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disability that is attributable to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of September 29, 2009, for his service-connected anxiety disorder. The decision stated that there was no evidence showing a claim or appeal prior to this date and that the original denial of depression became final in May 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma (MST), is related to her service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employability. Additional VA examinations are needed, as well as obtaining outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for clarification of his in-service injury or disease that led to his current condition.

The Veteran's major depression and anxiety disorder were granted a rating of 30 percent prior to June 29, 2010, and in excess of 50 percent from June 29, 2010. The claim for PTSD was also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, OCD, and GAD, have been granted a 50% evaluation prior to November 7, 2013. Since then, the Veteran continues to seek an increased evaluation for these conditions, which has not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders (depression and generalized anxiety disorder) are not related to his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for bilateral elbow conditions. The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen claims for bilateral shoulder disorders, neck muscle strain, conjunctivitis, and hypertension prior to January 26, 2001. The Veteran's GAD claim is also granted, but with an effective date of August 20, 2004.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various conditions and disabilities, including increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and degenerative joint disease, service connection for PTSD, a bilateral knee and foot condition, depression, asthma, food poisoning, a gunshot wound to the left leg due to the right hand as secondary to bilateral hand condition, anxiety, a bilateral arm condition, a bilateral leg condition, a bilateral hand condition, hepatitis C, sleep apnea, urinary retention, and memory loss. The appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for post-concussion syndrome and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service traumatic brain injury. The current diagnoses of these conditions have been considered under the appropriate rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of meningitis, and thus service connection for spinal meningitis is denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with anxiety) was granted as these conditions are found to be related to service.

The Veteran withdrew her claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a miscarriage, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disability (generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder) prior to the Board's decision.