Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remands it for further development including a VA examination.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and a speech fluency disability, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an increase in rating to higher than 30 percent.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective January 17, 2012. The Board found that the evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether his service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 17, 2012.

The Board has remanded two issues: the first regarding an earlier effective date for a 70 percent evaluation for service-connected anxiety disorder, NOS; and the second regarding an earlier effective date for TDIU. Both issues are dependent on the Veteran's combined evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation of his service-connected anxiety disorder, hypothyroidism, and pityrosporum folliculitis. The VA will obtain any outstanding treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the severity of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an increased evaluation for his adjustment disorder. The decision found that there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within one year after separation, and the Veteran did not have continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder (claimed as post-traumatic stress disorder) is causally related to active service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 1, 2012 for the grant of service connection for various disabilities was denied. The Board found that the earliest possible date allowable for the grant of service connection is the day following separation from active duty service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee Baker's cyst, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and GAD) due to lack of current disability or evidence linking the conditions to service. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records, including from Vet Centers.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety did not cause or contribute to his cardiomyopathy, which developed after service and is unrelated to military service. The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's right hip disability is granted as secondary to service-connected residuals of a right femur fracture and lumbar spine degenerative changes.,An initial rating of 50 percent for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted, effective September 17, 2012.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death due to PTSD or other service-connected condition, as there was no link between the Veteran's reported in-service stressors and his current psychiatric disabilities. The Appellant's and friend's statements were not competent to state that the Veteran’s psychiatric disorders were caused by an event in service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for fatigue, memory loss, anxiety, and depression due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's exposure is presumed based on his service at the base.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent since April 6, 2011. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating for this condition. The effective date of service connection remains August 1, 2012.

The Board has ordered a new VA medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his April 2012 VA medical care, specifically the treatment for knee replacement surgery.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a lack of in-patient treatment records from Germany. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified (psychiatric disability), is rated at 50 percent effective August 31, 2010. The Board found that the evidence showed occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as panic attacks, impaired judgment, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.