Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence on file regarding whether the Veteran's anxiety, depression, and ADHD pre-existed service. The VA will schedule a mental health examination for the Veteran.

The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD has been reopened and is remanded. The claim for TDIU is also remanded due to the inextricability of the issues.

The Board denied service connection for GERD and GAD as both conditions are not found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected Insomnia disorder and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant, who was substituted as the claimant.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, characterized as anxiety and PTSD, is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and increased rating for diabetes mellitus are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for asthma, left knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorders (including PTSD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder), sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and headaches are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, have been reopened. His anxiety disorder is found to be related to his military service. The case is remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder and hip/lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 30 percent, effective from September 13, 2013. Separate ratings of 10 percent are granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from September 13, 2013 to April 27, 2016. A TDIU is granted from the same date.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. However, the appeal is still pending as the Board has remanded it due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion. The current evidence does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD based on in-service stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for adjustment disorder with mild to moderate anxiety and depression, finding that his current mental health issues are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including those from private rehabilitation treatment, and to provide a new opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, is granted. The claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for arthritis of bilateral hips and primary snoring (claimed as sleep apnea), and has also granted a rating in excess of 70 percent for his schizoaffective and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an unspecified right foot disorder was denied as the evidence did not show a current disability. The claim for service connection of low back pain, related to his service-connected knee disabilities, was granted.,Service connection is established for low back pain due to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical examination and treatment records, requiring a new VA examination to determine if any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety secondary to the service-connected back disability. Service connection for a sleep condition is remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and other trauma and stressor related disorder, were incurred in service.