Anxiety decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disability. The Veteran's claim for service connection for alcohol abuse will also be remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected MDD with psychotic features and anxiety disorder, NOS is currently rated at 70 percent. The claim for an increased rating remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and Hepatitis C were denied. The claim for an increased disability rating for his low back condition was granted with an effective date of August 21, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder did not have its onset in service and is not otherwise related to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has ordered a new examination to clarify the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses and whether any identified diagnosis is related to service, including his diabetes mellitus with neuropathy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is being remanded due to conflicting diagnoses and opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorder. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining additional medical clarification and any outstanding records from SSA.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased rating for his service-connected psychological disorder and service connection for a back condition. The Veteran testified at his hearing that his service connected psychological disorder has worsened.

The Veteran's anterolisthesis L5-S1 of the lumbar spine has not been shown to result in unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes. The anxiety disorder has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity since October 1, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is being remanded due to insufficient opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his diagnosed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the Veteran's personnel records and the need for an updated opinion from a VA examiner regarding his psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical evidence and conduct an examination, as the current VA examination report did not consider all relevant records and may have used incorrect diagnostic criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, confirming the Veteran's current address, scheduling a VA examination, and asking the Veteran to identify any additional relevant medical evidence.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency, warranting a 30 percent rating from October 19, 2010.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, prior to July 14, 2009, was manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for this period.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from November 2011 to February 2013 and from March 2016 to the present. The Veteran's claims will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between her current symptoms and in-service stressors or other incidents.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating prior to March 2, 2011, and higher than 10 percent for the period prior to January 4, 2000, for anxiety disability; entitlement to TDIU for the period prior to January 4, 2000; and entitlement to SMC for the period prior to January 4, 2000 forward.

The Board found that the Veteran's alcohol dependence is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder, and denied a higher initial rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, eye problems, dizziness, anxiety, depression, gout, diabetes mellitus (type II), and peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The effective date is not specified as the decision was issued in October 2016.