Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Veteran's alcohol dependence, hypertension, and liver disease (steatohepatitis) are all found to be secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder with depressed mood. The separate claim for an anxiety disorder is dismissed.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD, and the Veteran's claims for other acquired psychiatric disorders are remanded due to a lack of evidence linking his current conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C, PTSD, and an increased rating for anxiety disorder due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as there is insufficient evidence to make a determination on some of the issues.

The claim of service connection for PTSD is reopened and granted. The Veteran's testimony regarding in-service events led to a new diagnosis of PTSD, which is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with representation and a need for further medical examination. The Veteran's claim is related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being required, including verifying service in Thailand and examining the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a DRO hearing, and will be readjudicated after scheduling the hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain disease and an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, have been denied due to lack of evidence supporting in-service incurrence or onset.,An individual unemployability claim related to the left wrist disability has also been remanded.

All claims for service connection are remanded. The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted, but the other conditions remain in dispute.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder and blackouts as secondary to anxiety disorder. The Veteran's current diagnoses of anxiety disorder and blackouts were not established by the VA examination, which was deemed inadequate due to lack of range of motion testing.,The Board also remanded the claims for increased rating for cervical spine disability and initial rating in excess of 10 percent for upper extremity radiculopathy as these issues are interrelated with the service connection claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder, is granted. Service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted at the 20 percent rating level. The appeals for peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and anxiety disorder NOS, are related to his combat experiences in Vietnam. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including disc disease, is denied because the condition did not manifest during service and there is no evidence of an in-service injury or event. The current condition is related to post-service injuries.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The increased rating claims for knees and the psychiatric disorder are remanded, as well as the claim for service connection for colon cancer and headaches.

The Veteran's depressive disorder NOS and anxiety disorder NOS have been granted an initial rating of 70 percent effective July 7, 2011. A 100 percent rating is granted from March 13, 2018.

The Board has remanded several issues, including increased ratings for generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks and right ear hearing loss, service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, and a TDIU claim. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records and undergo new examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for hearing loss and tinnitus is granted. The claims of service connection for various conditions, including bone islands, red blood cell condition, high liver levels, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), high muscle enzymes, joint pain, teeth loss, back and spinal degeneration, sinusitis, asthma, fungus of the feet, deformity of the toes, left foot, deformity of the toes, right foot, and sleep apnea are remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability results in total occupational and social impairment, but he does not have current diagnoses of the claimed disorders. His claims for TBI (claimed as short and long-term memory loss), speech disorder, headaches, anxiety, and balance disorder are denied.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The Board has determined that a statement of the case must be issued due to the timely notice of disagreement and the need to address this issue.