Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate reasons and basis for denying service connection, failure to obtain potential of outstanding private treatment records from Methodist Healthcare, and failure to consider entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric condition other than PTSD. The Veteran's representative indicates that the private treatment records are no longer available, and they have requested a new VA examination.

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, are related to his service stressors in Chicago in 1968.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disabilities preexisted service and are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at private hospitals in Jacksonville, Florida on May 4, 2015 and June 8, 2015 due to lack of emergency treatment. The Board found that the need for treatment was not emergent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, a depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder. The claim for eligibility to treatment under 38 U.S.C. 1702 is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the service connection claim.

The Veteran's GAD symptoms, including panic attacks more than once a week and difficulty in establishing effective work and social relationships, have been found to warrant an initial rating of 50 percent since January 24, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, and right lower extremity radiculopathy, preclude all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him. The Board grants entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted TDIU based on his disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, MDD and anxiety is remanded due to uncertainty regarding the current diagnosis of PTSD. A VA examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed condition is related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, best characterized as major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, which is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disability. However, it denied service connection for a right hip disorder, currently diagnosed as right hip strain, on the basis that there was no evidence of its onset during service or being caused by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete medical records, need for a VA examination, and other procedural issues.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, as there was no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The Board also granted service connection for his sinus condition, sleep disorder, and headaches due to exposure to burn pits.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression, are being remanded for a VA examination to determine if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted service connection. The postoperative residuals of a benign fibrolipoma in the right mastoid area are denied, and the fungal skin infection due to exposure to Agent Orange is stayed.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded it for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, particularly Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression. The Veteran needs to provide verification for a reported in-service stressor involving his shipmate's death, and he should be scheduled for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depressive Disorder, is not related to his service-connected lumbar paravertebral myositis and fracture of both bones of the left forearm with arthritis. As such, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board has decided the case in favor of the Veteran and remands it for further development, including verifying stressor events and obtaining a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any diagnosed conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder was rated at 10% prior to September 25, 2016 and increased to 50% thereafter. Migraine headaches were not compensated until December 12, 2012 when they were granted a 50% rating.,The Veteran's conditions are directly related to his military service without any presumption or secondary connection.