Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, other than a mental disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive symptoms and behaviors to include PTSD, was not manifested in service or related to his service.

The Board found that the Veteran's anxiety disorder has not resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a rating higher than 50 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with substance abuse (alcohol) and major depressive disorder is currently evaluated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depressive disorder is at least in equipoise with service connection, and therefore grants her claim for service connection as secondary to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for major depressive disorder, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed left bundle branch block is a disability for VA purposes and because of the inextricably intertwined nature of the service connection for an anxiety disorder issue. The claim will be adjudicated again after further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depression and anxiety, was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury, disease, or event that would support the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism, were not incurred in or related to his active duty service. The claim for PTSD was also denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety disorder, are found to be related to his service, specifically racially motivated attacks during active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder due to any incident of his active duty service and denied all other claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive neurosis with anxiety features is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied, but he is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, diagnosed as trauma related anxiety.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are etiologically related to his period of military service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder since November 12, 2008. The Veteran's symptoms include social impairment due to depression, suicidal ideation, panic attacks, impaired affect, occasional impairment of insight and judgment, and some memory impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression, are related to his alcohol and polysubstance abuse prior to and during service. As this abuse constituted willful misconduct, he is barred from establishing service connection for these diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide the necessary examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety) due to a lack of credible evidence supporting the in-service stressor allegation. The claim was reopened based on new evidence showing a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board found insufficient credible supporting evidence to corroborate the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and thus denied service connection for PTSD. The remaining psychiatric conditions were also not supported by sufficient evidence.