Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including depression and anxiety disorder, are not shown to be etiologically related to his service. The claim for PTSD was also denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis or stressors in service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Board also found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his combat experiences in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current anxiety and depression disorders are etiologically related to his service, including witnessing a motor vehicle accident while in active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of depression, anxiety, and insomnia are related to his service, specifically his in-service motor vehicle accident and other incidents. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, as well as scheduling a VA mental health examination.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted effective June 24, 2013. The Board found that an earlier effective date is not warranted because the Veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities prior to this date.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Anxiety Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS), based on credible evidence of a grenade explosion during basic training. The claim for PTSD was reopened due to new and material evidence.

The Veteran's vision loss of the right eye, neuropathy of the left upper extremity (claimed as loss of command, left sided neuropathy and weakness), cognitive disorder (claimed as cognitive disorder to include, but not limited to, attention, memory, loss of time, space, and aphasia), and an acquired psychiatric condition, to include anxiety and depression, are considered residuals of a cerebrovascular accident. The Board has determined that these disabilities were caused by VA treatment due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or some other instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain updated VA treatment records, service treatment records, and a VA examination to determine the etiology of his psychiatric disabilities, stroke, and left eye scar.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his anxiety disorder and its impact on his social and occupational functioning. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is intertwined with the issues being remanded.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for anxiety. The Board finds that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder, including anxiety.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's unspecified bipolar disorder with depression, anxiety disorder, and mixed borderline paranoid and dependent personality traits has not been manifested by total social and occupational impairment. Therefore, the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various service connection claims, including those related to psychiatric disorders, hearing loss, arthritis, and dental conditions. The Board also remanded several issues for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, manifested during his active military service and the Board finds that it is related to service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The Veteran's claim was not decided on the merits of a lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety neurosis has rendered him unable to maintain substantial employment for the entire period under consideration, and thus he is granted a TDIU from May 1, 2007 through December 12, 2007.

The Board has dismissed the service connection claim for TBI and denied the service connection claims for psychiatric disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss disability. The remaining issues are REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with anxiety disorder has been granted an initial rating of 100 percent, reflecting total occupational and social impairment due to persistent delusions or hallucinations, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, disorientation to time or place, and memory loss for names of close relatives.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has determined that his claim for TDIU is granted.