Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for further development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder with memory loss and premature ejaculation is rated at 50 percent, but not higher. The symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's GAD is rated at 70 percent, and a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating and TDIU prior to July 27, 2010 is remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a VA examination. The issue of TDIU from July 27, 2010 onwards was granted but must be referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened, but the claims of service connection and TDIU are still pending as they were not fully adjudicated in the previous decision. The Board has ordered remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to the need for further development and clarification regarding his claimed stressors during service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his unspecified anxiety disorder from September 2012 to July 2015 was denied as the symptoms did not warrant a higher than 50% rating.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The appeal for higher ratings on tinnitus and diabetes mellitus has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is related to his military service and/or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and affording the Veteran VA examinations. The claim of service connection for hypertension and irregular heartbeats is being remanded as well as the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for a sleep disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, erectile dysfunction, and headaches.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including verification of an in-service stressor involving a helicopter crash.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety and depression. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability from May 24, 2012. The Board has vacated the November 2018 remand and remanded the issues on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.,Specifically, the Veteran's bilateral shoulder and wrist disabilities, heart disability, severe headache disability, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder are being reviewed.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as anxiety and depression, is rated at 70 percent since May 9, 2017. The appeal for a higher rating or an earlier effective date has been denied.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including unspecified depression disorder and anxiety disorder with alcohol abuse, was found to be more severe than the current assigned rating of 50 percent prior to December 27, 2017. The Board granted a higher initial evaluation of 70 percent for this period.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was denied as there is no legal basis to grant such a request.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD and anxiety, finding that new evidence supports a relationship to service. The claim is granted.