Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for PTSD due to insufficient evidence of a link between the Veteran's current symptoms and an in-service stressor. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, and his GERD. The Veteran needs to provide more information about his service stressors and a VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia, manifested by joint pain in the feet, knees, hands, back and neck, is granted service connection.,Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination, compliance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(5) notice, and obtaining of outstanding records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The appeals for increased ratings on right thumb injury residuals, right carpal tunnel syndrome (excluding post-surgical convalescence), tinea versicolor, and individual unemployability have also been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and nonservice-connected pension benefits due to issues related to his character of discharge from active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and PTSD. The Veteran was not provided with a VA examination to evaluate his current psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for its decision, specifically regarding whether service-connected anxiety contributed to the Veteran's death. The VA is instructed to obtain additional evidence and produce opinions from a VA examiner.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, tinnitus, cervical spine injury, lumbar spine condition, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, heart condition, prostate condition, left foot condition, right foot condition, and seizure disorder. The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions alone do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against granting the Veteran’s claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include anxiety disorder and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran does not have a current disability related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence to support a service connection claim for PTSD and anxiety disorder. The Veteran is required to undergo another VA mental health examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for various psychiatric disorders, fibromyalgia, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disorders. The examiner must address whether these conditions are related to service or any organic brain syndrome.

The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder. The examiner will need to provide an opinion on this issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's reported stressors for PTSD. The case will be reviewed again after verifying the stressor events.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of any current mental health disabilities, including PTSD. The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being reviewed.

The Veteran's initial claim for sleep apnea was denied in July 2007, but he filed a new application to reopen his claim on December 15, 2010. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for sleep apnea.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are considered at least equally severe as to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied because the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has remanded three issues: initial rating for PTSD, TDIU, and service connection for the cause of death. Additional medical records are needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death.