Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is being remanded for further evaluation due to recent worsening symptoms and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Veteran's current diagnoses include depressive disorder not otherwise specified and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, which may be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hearing loss has been denied.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of an informal claim prior to August 8, 2011.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder with anxiety is denied as there is no evidence of an informal claim prior to August 8, 2011.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is being remanded for further evaluation due to potential increase in symptoms since his last VA examination. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it could significantly impact the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression and anxiety, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if his current psychiatric disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for anxiety disorder and sleep disorder, as well as his claim for an increased rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, are dismissed. The issue of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including dysthymic disorder with anxiety symptoms, migraine headaches, tinnitus, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, right ear hearing loss, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), preclude her from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating based on these service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted as new and material evidence has been received. The appeal is remanded to obtain VA treatment records, Workers' Compensation records, and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, mental disorder, mood swings, poor attitude, and psychosis (including as due to Camp Lejeune contaminated drinking water), was denied because the new evidence did not show that the condition occurred in or was caused by service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (claimed as Panic Disorder), is related to his military service. The VA examiner will need to provide an addendum opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for VCAA notice and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the issues of an initial disability rating higher than 30 percent for bilateral foot disorder, a lumbar spine disability, and chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression due to lack of representation and need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inconsistencies in his service record and allegations of stressor events. The psychiatric disability claim is being recharacterized to include any diagnosed psychiatric condition, while the tinnitus claim requires additional evidence regarding noise exposure and a medical opinion on its etiology.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 1, 2009 for the grant of service connection for anxiety disorder has been denied. The case is remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted on an extraschedular basis.,For the period from March 7, 2012, to November 30, 2017, his acquired psychiatric disability was evaluated as 50 percent disabling. The Board found that this level of impairment did not meet or exceed the criteria for a higher rating (such as 70% or 100%) and thus denied an increased evaluation.,The Veteran's arthritis conditions were remanded due to insufficient evidence on whether they are service-connected.,Service connection was granted for headaches secondary to tinnitus.,Other claims, including those related to sleep disability, hypertension, skin condition, diabetes mellitus, special monthly compensation, and TDIU, were also remanded.

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted. However, the claims for both PTSD and a sleep disorder were denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed.,Effective date of the 70% anxiety disorder rating is denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left hip disability, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, diabetes mellitus type II, and psychiatric disabilities. The effective date for service connection for a lumbar spine disability is also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and his service. The Veteran needs to provide updated medical records and undergo a VA examination to determine if his current psychiatric condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, is rated at 10 percent and denied a higher rating.