Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion and gathering more information from the Huntington VA hospital.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, PTSD, depression, and anxiety, was incurred in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive disorders, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of records.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and VA clinic records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, is related to his active service in Korea. As a result, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for a TDIU arose on May 30, 2008, and an effective date of October 19, 2011, is granted as this was when his combined disability rating reached 70%.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and coronary artery disease have been granted increased ratings, with the anxiety disorder receiving a 70% rating effective December 6, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been received since the December 2009 rating decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The issues of increased rating and TDIU are intertwined and must be addressed together.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The case is now to be readjudicated with a supplemental VA medical opinion addressing whether any current psychiatric disability was aggravated by the service-connected hysterectomy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is not service-connected as his symptoms existed prior to service and were aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder NOS and polysubstance abuse, is related to his active duty service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since April 8, 2010.,The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating effective from April 8, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, associated with schizophrenia, undifferentiated type, was granted. The current disability is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be related to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including panic disorder with agoraphobia, major depressive disorder, and alcohol dependence in remission, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities.

The Board granted a higher disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, effective September 24, 2015. The Veteran's COPD was also found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's major depression and anxiety disorder are rated at 70 percent since August 24, 2010 due to significant occupational and social impairment.