Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected panic disorder with agoraphobia and anxiety is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of June 15, 2005. The initial rating assigned is 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of an examination for left ear hearing loss and because new evidence may be relevant to reopening claims for depression and anxiety. The Veteran's service records show he served aboard Naval vessels, which could have exposed him to noise during his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, recurrent major depressive disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer and prostatectomy residuals. The claim for a lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen a claim for service connection for a mental disorder (claimed as anxiety) including as secondary to service-connected foot disabilities was denied. The ratings for right and left foot plantar fasciitis with Achilles tendonitis associated with bilateral pes planus were also denied, as well as the compensable ratings for left foot second digit claw toe deformity and left fifth hammer toe deformity. The Veteran's Tailor's bunion (left foot) was not rated.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right wrist condition and acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for anxiety disorder and service connection for depression due to incomplete VA treatment records and inadequate examination opinions.

The Veteran's request to reopen the issue of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD is granted. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, and PTSD), pleural effusions, asthma, sleep apnea, pseudobulbar affect, stroke residuals, thyroid tumor, atrial fibrillation, and headaches. The decision also denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and TDIU.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD, adjustment disorder, and anxiety disorder is granted service connection. An initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids is granted. The Veteran's dermatitis is rated noncompensable under the old criteria but granted a non-compensable rating under the new criteria. Ratings are granted for tensional headaches since December 6, 2011 and depressive disorder not otherwise specified (previously diagnosed as circadian rhythm disorder). A compensable rating for temporomandibular joint disorder is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. The Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, anxiety, and somatoform disorder, as secondary to his service-connected seizure disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development of the medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's CAD is currently rated at 60% effective August 17, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and alcohol abuse disorder, finding no probative medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, but the issues of service connection for joint pain (fibromyalgia), recurrent skin disorder, and anxiety and depression are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety and depression is granted. The claims for increased rating for low back disability and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for updated treatment records and VA examinations.

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

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and a right elbow condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity. Service connection for anxiety was denied.