Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for anxiety and mood disorder, with the Board finding that it is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and anxiety. The appeal is remanded due to outstanding VA records and stressor verification.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 50 percent for service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, anxiety and insomnia, was denied. The VA found that the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and adjustment disorder with anxiety, began during his active duty service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence of a hospitalization for service-connected anxiety and major depressive disorder, requiring further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, to include as secondary to his service-connected disabilities of traumatic deviated septum with anosmia and hypogeusia. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted. The appeal of the mental condition diagnosed as panic disorder with agoraphobia and anxiety disorder was dismissed.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between service and the condition. The psychiatric disability (including PTSD) claim is remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, dementia pugilistica, and acquired psychiatric disorders are granted. Service connection is denied for neck disability, right ear hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back condition and headache condition are not service-connected. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral otitis media, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), tinea, verruca vulgaris with angiokeratoma, respiratory condition, and hypertension have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's schizophrenia, residual type is currently rated at 30 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS with features of PTSD was granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent prior to July 17, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of such disorders.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional evidence and examinations, as well as a request for VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that her current diagnosis of adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is not related to her military service or secondary to her service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service, including her reported assault in 1967 and her duties as a clinical specialist during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The effective date claim is denied as there was no pending formal or informal claim prior to April 11, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder was granted, and the right ankle condition and hip condition claims were denied due to insufficient evidence. The uterine fibroids and endometriosis claims remain denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU. The missing records, including VA treatment records prior to January 2012 and from August 2018 to present, as well as any further education, training, and employment information since November 2011, need to be obtained. Additionally, the Veteran needs to undergo new VA examinations for his service-connected psychiatric disorder, TMJ dysfunction, gastroesophageal disability, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip condition, chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, bladder dysfunction, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, bowel dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, rotoscoliosis and intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, cervical degenerative disc disease is denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted to 50 percent.