Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for peripheral artery disease, stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, heart condition (pacemaker, heart attack, stints [sic], bypass, dying heart/complete vascular system failing), and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and anxiety with panic attacks).

The Veteran's sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorders (including depression and anxiety) are remanded for further development, including VA examinations to determine their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as anxiety, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes, as new and material evidence was submitted. The acquired psychiatric disability is now considered etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia and PTSD. The claim is being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for clarification by a VA examiner regarding the Appellant's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The claim will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder with symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as specific phobia disorder. However, it denied the claims for depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder, and antisocial personality disorder.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, NOS with some features of PTSD is rated at a 50 percent effective from August 9, 2011. A 70 percent rating is granted as of October 29, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, substance abuse, and an acquired mental disorder (including depression and/or anxiety) due to insufficient explanation of the VA examiner's opinion regarding a significant threshold shift in the Veteran’s hearing acuity during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for dizziness was denied, and the effective date for his award of service connection for PTSD and anxiety disorder was set at December 16, 2011.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety due to new evidence received since the final July 2013 rating decisions. However, additional development is needed as a VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and lack of sufficient rationale in the previous VA opinions. A new VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and non-specified anxiety disorder, is related to his service aboard the USS Essex during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and a skin disability are granted. The appeals for left and right carpel tunnel syndrome, both secondary to cervical spine degenerative changes, are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, ADHD, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, and psychotic disorder. The case is remanded for a neck condition examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, are granted as they are related to service.

The Board has determined that an adequate opinion is required to determine if the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder was a principal or contributory cause of death. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 remains denied as there is no legal basis for entitlement.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is granted as related to her military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as anxiety and depression, is related to his military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that it is proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and the medication used to treat his psychiatric condition. The appeal concerning an earlier effective date for the PTSD rating is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, are found to be related to his service in Kuwait. Service connection is granted.