Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for GAD and PTSD, finding that his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran was assigned a 30 percent rating effective from August 22, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, verifying reported stressors, and scheduling a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorder(s) and bilateral foot disorders.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective April 12, 2010. The RO has reopened the claims for service connection for a left leg disability, dental condition, and headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anxiety, depression, and anger management disorder requires additional development of her medical records to determine if there is a link between her current diagnoses and her military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disability, along with depression and anger symptoms, is currently rated at 50 percent disabling.

The Veteran's MDD and anxiety disorder have been rated at 70 percent for the entire rating period on appeal, reflecting occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnosed PTSD and that any psychiatric disorders, including unspecified depressive disorder, are related to alcohol use disorder. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of her acquired psychiatric disorder is not supported by any timely NOD or new and material evidence submitted within one year of the April 1996 rating decision. As such, the effective date remains August 1, 2003.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the existence and etiology of any currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The examiner must also provide an opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, is related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's anxiety and PTSD have resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent rating since November 22, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder with anxiety, left eye postoperative cataracts, left eye corneal edema, and left mandibular cystectomy residuals, are rated at 80 percent combined. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unemployable due to their severity and impact on her ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety (also claimed as PTSD) most nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but did not more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder NOS and PTSD) warrants a 70% rating throughout the appeal period, effective September 9, 2010. The Board also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and any outstanding VA treatment records. The case will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Veteran's TBI with headaches is rated at 10 percent, and his generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 30 percent. The appeal for a higher rating for TBI with headaches was granted, while the appeals for increased ratings for both conditions and for TDIU were denied.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, is related to service or caused by his hepatitis C. The examiner will also assess whether the Veteran's depression was aggravated by his hepatitis C.