Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood with alcohol use, as well as his claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine, bilateral pes planus, alopecia areata and seborrheic dermatitis have been found to be etiologically related to his depressive disorder with anxiety. DJD of the bilateral feet is also linked to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. Right peroneal nerve radiculopathy has been determined to be associated with his lumbar spine condition.

Service connection for chronic maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis was denied as the evidence did not show a nexus to service.,Service connection for anxiety attacks with sleeping problems and memory loss has been reopened, but is still not granted due to lack of a direct link to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including recurrent major depression disorder and anxiety disorder, are found to be secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to TDIU for further development due to other pending issues, including service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The combined disability rating may be affected by these changes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to her military sexual trauma during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal due to a change in circumstances, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including psychosis, is found to be related to his active service. His sinusitis disability is granted a rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further development. The issues of increased ratings for anxiety disorder and entitlement to TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The VA examiners found no current diagnoses of the claimed conditions, or that they are not related to service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a current hearing loss disability under VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, finding that they are at least as likely as not proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease (CAD).

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. The evidence received after the final denial in 2007 is considered new and material as it relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent from October 11, 2011 to April 10, 2016. This rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a supplemental opinion regarding her acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD and an initial rating for PTSD.

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

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate opinions in the January 2017 VA examinations. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hand disorder, and right shoulder disorder are all being reviewed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, clearly existed prior to his service and was not aggravated by any in-service event or illness. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence showing a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service and the current condition is not related to such service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for panic disorder and allergic rhinitis were denied by the Board. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are rated under a 'direct' theory of service connection, meaning they are not based on presumptions or secondary theories.