Anxiety decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including MDD, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and adjustment disorder, is being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with new examinations to assess her current disabilities.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating higher than 30 percent for anxiety disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of her claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the service connection claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's personality disorder pre-existed military service and was aggravated during service. The appeal is currently in a 'mixed' disposition as some issues may be granted while others are not.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, MDD, anxiety disorder NOS, GAD, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD based on in-service stressors or a finding that any diagnosed conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Statement of the Case on several issues, including his claims for increased ratings and service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from Dr. E.J.S. and any other providers identified by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, specifically his unspecified trauma related disorder, is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a scar of the right lower leg is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran incurred a scar during active duty and it is related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, previously characterized as an anxiety disorder and later as PTSD, is currently rated at 100 percent from September 23, 2010.,Prior to September 23, 2010, the Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder and PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depressive disorder NOS and anxiety disorder NOS, is related to her military service. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, manifested by anxiety and PTSD, was granted a 70 percent rating from October 8, 2009 to October 7, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient discussion of medical opinions and potential risk factors for hepatitis C, including intranasal cocaine use. The case is also inextricably intertwined with his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted, and the Board found that there is at least an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence as to whether the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected anxiety disorder. The sleep disorder claim remains pending.

The Veteran's current psychiatric disability, diagnosed as anxiety, is reasonably shown to be related to service and to his service-connected pleurisy. Service connection for psychiatric disability has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further review, including a videoconference hearing before the Board. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to an increased evaluation for anxiety disorder and reopening his claim for Guillain-Barre syndrome are pending.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder can be decided. The Veteran needs to provide information about any relevant medical records and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine if his current psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.