Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for service connection of broken ribs and back injury have been denied as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension and granted a 50 percent disability rating for his generalized anxiety disorder. The decision also found that payment of $16,027.97 in attorney fees to the Contesting Claimant was not valid due to improper signatures on the VA Form 21-22a.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of multiple psychiatric disabilities other than PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder and anxiety disorder had increased to a level consistent with the assigned 70 percent disability rating prior to December 8, 2009. The effective date for the award of a 70 percent disability rating is set at December 8, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment since October 9, 2015. The TDIU is granted from that date.

The Board found that the evidence did not show a verifiable psychiatric condition at the time of filing and denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including anxiety and depression.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development including obtaining personnel records, VA treatment records, and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for trigeminal neuralgia, right 5th cranial nerve and service connection for the same condition were granted effective June 5, 2003. The claim for TDIU was also granted on this date.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining information about stressors and verifying service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel and treatment records from the Veteran's Mississippi Army National Guard membership. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, anxiety disorder, sleep apnea, and psychosis for the purpose of establishing eligibility to treatment are being remanded.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated at 70 percent since January 5, 2010. Given her symptoms and inability to maintain employment due to her condition, she is also entitled to a TDIU effective from the same date.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, recurrent with anxious distress; and anxiety disorder, NOS with features of social phobia, panic disorder and agoraphobia. The issue of eligibility to treatment was previously granted by the RO and is therefore moot.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder not otherwise specified with PTSD features resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to July 17, 2014.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a videoconference hearing. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for anxiety disorder and service connection for coronary artery disease are pending.

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

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder and adjustment disorder with depressed mood, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, and insomnia, has been rated at 50 percent since October 6, 2009. The disability is characterized by symptoms such as depression, chronic sleep impairment, and irritability without episodes of violence, which most nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board finds that the Veteran's anxiety disorder is related to service and grants service connection for this condition. The Board also finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD, which is related to service.