Anxiety decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to address whether any psychiatric disability is related to service or caused by the service-connected left femur disability. The issues remain before the Board but are not yet ready for appellate review.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and other conditions, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 15, 2010. As such, the effective date for his TDIU cannot be earlier than January 15, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder is manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a disability rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records. The case will be reviewed to determine if the requested benefits are granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a representation issue. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 4, 2012 for a 100% evaluation for anxiety disorder is denied as the earliest ascertainable date of increased symptomatology was within one year of her initial claim.,The Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as they were not received until after February 16, 2010, which is the earliest possible effective date based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a head injury and anxiety and depression are being considered. The Board will seek additional evidence to determine the nature of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an addendum medical opinion on the etiology of his erectile dysfunction and a new VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder warrants a rating of 70 percent under the schedular criteria, but not higher, throughout the period of the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding his diagnosed conditions and their relationship to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD are related to service or caused by the service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for burns to the hands, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a sleep disorder. The issues regarding back, right knee, right shoulder, left shoulder disorders, and left knee disorder were reconsidered but also denied on the merits.

The Board found that an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include adjustment disorder with mixed anxious and depressed mood, is etiologically related to the Veteran's military service. Fibromyalgia was not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and an examination to determine the likely etiology of a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened, and she is now entitled to a 50 percent rating for her migraine headaches. She also meets the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to provide him with a psychiatric examination by a clinician specializing in mental health conditions, as well as an updated dermatology examination. The issues of service connection for PTSD and increased rating for recurrent dermatitis will be addressed.

The Board determined that there is no current diagnosis for a right knee disability, and the left knee injury during service did not result in chronic residuals. The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms were noted but no specific diagnoses of anxiety or insomnia were found.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Fuchs' dystrophy and cataracts, sleep apnea, hypertension, migraines with hyperventilation and blackouts, psychiatric disorder (depression with anxiety symptoms), and keratoconus have been denied. The maximum rating of 30 percent has been assigned for migraines.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.