Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified anxiety disorder, is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current anxiety disorder is related to his in-service event.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is being reviewed with additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his current conditions and service.

The claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, is reopened and granted. The Veteran's new evidence includes VA treatment records from September 2012 that diagnosed him with various psychological disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, but only partially. Service connection is established for obstructive sleep apnea and anxiety disorder. Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are not service-connected.

The appeal of the issue regarding discontinuance of VR&E benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 31 was dismissed, and the case is remanded for a rating in excess of 50 percent for anxiety neurosis with dysthymic disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical spine injury with strain. A separate compensable disability rating of 10 percent, but no higher, was granted for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity from January 12, 2017. Service connection for anxiety disorder with amnesic disorder was properly terminated and denied. Severance of special monthly compensation housebound benefits, non-service connected pension, and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits were also granted.

An initial disability rating of 10 percent for IBS was granted prior to June 26, 2017. An initial disability rating of 50 percent for an adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression was granted from July 10, 2017.,From July 10, 2017 onwards, a higher disability rating for the adjustment disorder could not be granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder NOS), and respiratory disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted as the preponderance of the evidence showed that the current disabilities were not manifest in service or related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for McArdle’s disease and TDIU due to service-connected disability. The VA examination is needed to address the specific requirements necessary for a higher rating for McArdle’s disease, including symptoms such as sleep disturbances, paresthesias, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's like symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, has been denied as there is no verified in-service stressor related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a left leg disorder. Additional evidence is needed from SSA and VA records, and an addendum opinion is required regarding whether the Veteran’s left leg disorder was caused or aggravated by his service-connected vertigo and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for new examinations and consideration of extraschedular criteria.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder) as the Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The appeals for service connection and ratings related to the Veteran's liver disorder, hypertension, anxiety disorder, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected primary insomnia with generalized anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD related to his in-service airplane crash landing and that it is at least as likely as not that he also has an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and depression) that is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression and anxiety, is granted. However, the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied.