Anxiety decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and mood disorder due to lack of contemporaneous documentation in his service records. The Veteran provided a private psychological evaluation, but VA treatment records are missing. The RO is instructed to obtain the Veteran’s personnel file from NPRC and any current psychiatric treatment records. A VA examination should be scheduled to determine if these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to insufficient evidence, particularly regarding a VA examination scheduled in December 2017. The Veteran's failure to report for this examination is being reviewed.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with mixed depression and anxiety), tinnitus, but denied service connection for residuals of a TBI, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, a back disorder, residuals of burns on the neck, and migraines.

The Board has decided that a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for PTSD and whether his current psychiatric conditions are related to service. The case will be remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder, major depressive disorder, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and alcohol use disorder. The VA is instructed to obtain all relevant records, including military personnel records and STRs, and schedule a comprehensive examination to determine the nature and etiology of any such disorders.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and Anxiety with Social Phobia was denied. The claim for TDIU prior to February 26, 2010 was also denied.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The claim for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for GERD, Anxiety Disorder with Depression, and Bilateral Lower Extremity Radiculopathy were granted. The claim for Right Hip Avascular Necrosis, Status Post Total Hip Replacement was dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal. The Adjustment Disorder with Depressed and Anxious Mood claim was also granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and/or anxiety) due to lack of VA examination records. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again after obtaining all relevant treatment records.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent since December 16, 2013. The rating was denied as the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's MDD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also received a TDIU from June 3, 2014 to August 2, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a direct or secondary relationship to her service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's PTSD with adjustment disorder was initially rated at 100% from January 23, 2012 to March 31, 2012 and again from March 23, 2015 to May 31, 2015. From May 29, 2018 onwards, the Veteran's PTSD warrants a 70% rating.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to the need for additional examinations and evidence submission.

The Veteran's hypertension was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,For anxiety disorder, NOS to include depressed mood, prior to December 9, 2016, the Veteran was denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent due to his symptoms being controlled by medication and he maintained employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The examiner is required to provide a new diagnosis and determine if there are any other diagnosed conditions related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, OSA, and headache disability are granted service connection. However, hypertension is denied as it did not manifest within one year of the Veteran's discharge from active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence to confirm a stressor event, but acknowledges that the Veteran's statements are credible and considers his lay statements in determining the nature of his psychiatric disabilities. A VA examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches was granted. The appeal for syncope and a rating in excess of 30 percent for retro-bulbar neuritis, left eye, is withdrawn. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for depressive and anxiety disorders and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder were dismissed due to his death.