Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service, caused by or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression, has been reopened. Service connection is granted for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not related to his service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection. The issues of low back disability, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), and migraines are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. Additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders and right shoulder/arm disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified, is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions and records, particularly regarding the relationship between the Veteran's psychiatric disorders and his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have separate service-connected conditions for depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome, back disorder, neck disorder, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, or headaches. The claims are denied as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of her service connection claim, including TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and HIV as secondary to a psychiatric disorder, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety. The new evidence received since the final February 2012 denial indicates that the Veteran currently suffers from such a condition related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder with major depression warrants a disability rating of 70 percent, effective February 2, 2010. The Veteran is also found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as moot due to the absence of any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence to verify the Veteran's reported stressor events, which are necessary for service connection. The Veteran must provide credible supporting evidence from service records or other sources.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, with a 70 percent rating for anxiety disorder.,The Veteran's increased rating for anxiety disorder claim is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed. The initial rating claim for anxiety disorder with alcohol in early remission is denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD or any evidence linking the claimed conditions to service.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression and anxiety is rated at 70 percent, effective since the grant of service connection. The groin adenopathy with cutaneous nerve involvement, right leg, is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, depression and anxiety, as well as hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with anxiety. However, the evidence does not support a finding of service connection due to lack of a nexus between the current diagnoses and active service.