Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, diagnosed as onychomycosis of the toenails and tinea pedis with possible bacterial infection, is related to service.,The Veteran has a history of COPD that began in service and is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be at least as likely as not related to her witnessing a bank robbery during active duty for training (ACDUTRA), and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric diagnoses of anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, mood disorder, and adjustment disorder are all attributable to her service-connected disabilities. The Veteran does not manifest PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) was rated at 70 percent prior to February 19, 2010. This rating is the maximum available under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination with a different examiner to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a disability rating for anxiety and depressive disorder. The Veteran is required to provide information about any relevant medical providers, obtain VA treatment records, and undergo a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since December 11, 2006. The Board found that the current symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 70 or 100 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a separate psychiatric disorder other than his service-connected PTSD, and therefore, he is denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, and paranoid ideations, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as PTSD and anxiety, has been rated at 70 percent since December 13, 2013. The rating is based on the criteria for a 70 percent disability rating under DC 9411 (PTSD), which requires occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and readjudication due to incomplete evaluations of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including their impact on his ability to work. The appeal is now pending again.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and personnel information, as well as for a new VA audiological examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions are on appeal.

The Board has determined that a rating in excess of 60 percent for the service-connected major depression/severe anxiety is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and a mental illness or psychosis for the purpose of establishing eligibility for medical treatment only pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1702 were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance abuse disorder. The decision found that there was no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor related to a traumatic event or circumstance, and thus element (2) of 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f) was not met.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for a mood disorder, lumbar spine degenerative changes, and right knee sprain/spurring. These conditions are presumed to have existed prior to service.,Service connection is also established for these conditions as they are related to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder NOS, depressive disorder NOS, polysubstance abuse, and substance-induced mood disorder, is rated at a 70 percent disability level effective May 13, 2013.