Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The diagnoses of these conditions are based on the Veteran's reported symptoms and medical evidence supporting their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical evidence and a need for further development, including obtaining additional evidence and scheduling an examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety and Depressed Mood. The overall weight of the evidence is against a finding that these conditions were incurred in or are etiologically related to service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is remanded due to insufficient evidence. Additional development including updated VA treatment records and a VA examination are needed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issues of entitlement to service connection for gallstones, anxiety disorder, low back pain, hyperlipidemia, and a fatty liver.

The Board has found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, is etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, secondary to his right thumb disability are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is granted as service connection based on the evidence showing a current disability, in-service events, and a nexus between the events and the disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining recent VA records and scheduling a mental health examination to assess the severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, personality disorder, and learning disorder, is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding the diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-V criteria and the potential superimposition of a diagnosed psychiatric disorder on his preexisting personality and/or learning disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional VA mental health treatment records.

The Veteran's onychomycosis of the toenails is found to have its onset during active service and granted service connection. The issue regarding residuals of a TBI remains pending as it requires further development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with anxiety disorder, NOS has been granted a rating of 70 percent. The other claims have not met the criteria for an initial compensable disability rating.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 25, 2016 for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include depressive disorder and somatic symptom disorder with anxiety symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and panic features, as well as a left hand burn scar, was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The Veteran's current rating for his psychiatric disability is 50 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, stomach cancer, and right foot disorder were denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety) was granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations and insufficient opinions regarding service connection claims. The Veteran's vertigo, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and psychiatric disabilities are among the issues being addressed.