Anxiety decisions — 2015

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and major depressive disorder, is related to his active military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with depressive disorder has been rated at 30 percent, and the RO reduced his rating for left sided L5-S1 herniated nucleus pulposus from 40 to 10 percent. The reduction was upheld as it occurred within five years of the initial rating.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent since November 12, 2008.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, along with other conditions, resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The VA determined that the symptoms did not warrant a rating higher than 50 percent.

The Board found no credible evidence supporting the Veteran's claims of military sexual trauma and denied service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA examination and providing proper VCAA notice.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various psychiatric conditions, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board has remanded the case due to a scheduling issue with his requested hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, traumatic brain injury, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), alcoholism, and hepatitis C were denied as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and PTSD were rated at 50 percent effective July 9, 2012.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have currently diagnosed psychosis and has been diagnosed with PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder. The in-service stressor event is not corroborated by credible supporting evidence, and therefore service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder cannot be established.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and therefore denied his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, as well as internal hemorrhoids and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's conditions are not found to be related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder and depression are related to service or his service-connected disabilities, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination to address his claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to include obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling the Veteran for a psychiatric examination, and determining the current severity of his right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, has been rated at 30 percent since July 1, 2009. The rating reflects the current level of occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, did not manifest in service or within a presumptive period, and is not related to service. The Board also found no evidence of secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and MDD, are related to his reported in-service stressors. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for deep venous thrombosis has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal.