Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for asthma and an acquired psychiatric condition including generalized anxiety disorder due to incomplete service records, particularly regarding his National Guard/Reserve service. The claims will be reviewed again with additional information.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding insufficient evidence to link his current mental health conditions to his time in service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent, as the evidence does not show that it warrants a higher rating.,Service connection for left shoulder disability and Crohn’s disease are denied because there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's rash of the right foot and anxiety disorder do not have current diagnoses or etiological links to service. Service connection for acute myeloid leukemia was also denied due to a lack of in-service diagnosis.,The Veteran has not provided sufficient credible evidence to establish that any of his claimed conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, major depression, and bipolar disorder, may be related to service. However, a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% disability rating. The effective date for this award is October 4, 2011.

For the period from December 17, 2015 to August 4, 2016, the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.,Prior to December 17, 2015, the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's death was caused by alcoholism, which the VA found to be related to his service-connected mental health conditions (depression and anxiety) stemming from combat experiences in Vietnam. As a result, the Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the failure to conduct a requested DRO hearing. The issues of service connection for major depression with anxiety and stress, and entitlement to SMC based on housebound criteria are still pending.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective September 27, 2012. The Veteran also received a TDIU from October 1, 2015 to October 23, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell trait was denied due to lack of a current disability. The claims for color blindness, heart condition, and COPD were not established as they are congenital or developmental defects.,Service connection has been granted for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, hypertension, gout of both feet, intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbago, binocular visual field defect, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for prior to September 6, 2017 was denied as he remained capable of performing the physical and mental acts required by substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically anxiety and panic attacks, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his condition. The Board also requests verification of a claimed in-service event involving a CS grenade explosion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and anxiety disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. His TDIU application is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient development of evidence, particularly regarding psychiatric and hemorrhoid conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastric condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder with anxiety is related to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board grants this claim.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied the claim as there is no evidence that his current mental health conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has granted the appellant's applications to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for tinnitus and a psychiatric disability, including PTSD with depression and anxiety. Service connection is also granted for these conditions. The appeals regarding left shoulder disability and gynecomastia are remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee and back disabilities.