Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. However, further development is needed to determine if there is a current diagnosis of PTSD and whether it is related to military service.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected GAD with PTSD, which is more than the current 50 percent rating. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the hysterectomy claim. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, sinus disorder, and right knee disorder have been denied. The TDIU claim is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder. The issue of entitlement to service connection for heart disease is also inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and dysthymia/depression, social phobia, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence continuous, nightmares, and nicotine dependence, are not etiologically related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The rating assigned is 70 percent disabling effective June 5, 2006.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder, and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. For the lumbar spine disorder, the VA examiner concluded that the condition was less likely than not incurred in or caused by service.

The Veteran's depression has been rated at 30 percent prior to April 4, 2012 and at 70 percent thereafter. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder did not manifest during active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors related to PTSD, and the VA examiner found no diagnosis of PTSD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression mood, chronic, and migraine headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if any psychiatric disorders, other than PTSD, existed prior to service and were aggravated by service or are otherwise related to service. The Veteran's claims for service connection for Anxiety Disorder, Dysthymia, and Polysubstance Dependence will also be addressed.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and his claims for increased ratings have been granted. He also has service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased rating for bipolar disorder not otherwise specified with generalized anxiety disorder prior to April 10, 2017 and TDIU have been withdrawn.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The remaining claims are dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal.

The Board found no current disability of plantar fasciitis and denied service connection. The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and dysthymia was rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines, but the Board did not find that it warranted a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically anxiety with associated anger, is related to his service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with panic attacks is currently rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board finds that his disability does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 50 percent.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was not productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, or mood for the periods on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD, with depressive disorder and anxiety reaction with headaches and peptic ulcer was rated at 70 percent from June 25, 2007 to August 11, 2009.

The Veteran's ischemic cardiomyopathy is found to be related to his service-connected dental trauma, and the acquired psychiatric disability and memory loss are considered secondary to his service-connected conditions.