Anxiety decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records and the need for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to new evidence received after the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The TDIU claim will be reconsidered with consideration given to service connection awarded for an anxiety disorder effective November 2015.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic bronchitis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder), low back disorder, and deafness in the right ear are pending.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and depression, are not related to his active service. The Board finds the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions had their onset during or were otherwise caused by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records, conduct examinations and opinions regarding his psychiatric disorders, joint and tendon disorders, headaches, and hypertension, and provide appropriate notice for a personal assault claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected asthma, evaluated in conjunction with obstructive sleep apnea, was denied as the condition does not meet the criteria for a separate evaluation under Diagnostic Code 6602.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new VA examination for his lumbar spine disability. Additionally, he will be afforded another VA examination to determine the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, major depressive disorder, and PTSD, are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the grant of a total evaluation based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) in December 2015, which constitutes a full award of the benefits sought on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for further examination and development of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of a current diagnosis. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder with anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, is granted as the evidence supports that these conditions began in service.

The appellant has withdrawn his appeal regarding the reopening and service connection for PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, insomnia, and drug dependency. As a result, the Board dismisses the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining outstanding medical records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains in dispute.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current major depressive disorder with anxiety is related to stressful events and incidents of his military service in Korea, as a heavy anti-armor weapons infantryman from 1987 to 1989. Resolving any doubt in favor of the Veteran, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's chronic anxiety disorder has been rated at 70 percent since July 25, 2005.

The Board denied increased ratings for an anxiety disorder and right and left foot cold injury residuals. The Veteran appealed these denials to the Court, which granted a joint motion for remand, vacating the Board's decision as to those issues, and remanding them back to the Board.

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

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU rating prior to June 14, 2011 has been withdrawn. As such, the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the appeal and it is dismissed.