Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's migraines and vertigo are granted as service-connected.,Effective dates for the grants of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease are denied.,Service connection is granted for a left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. Effective dates for these conditions are not granted as the Veteran did not file claims prior to July 7, 2014.,The Veteran's hypertension, anxiety, and depression are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and for a new VA examination under the DSM-IV criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination and insufficient medical evidence to determine if the Veteran's anxiety condition is related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and major depressive disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity peroneal nerve palsy. The rating of 10 percent for this condition is restored.

The Veteran's claims for reinstatement of his VA fee-basis ID card, reimbursement for unauthorized private medical services, and reimbursement for expenses incurred at a hospital are being remanded due to the need for additional information and records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development. The Veteran is presumed to have served in Operation Desert Storm, but his service records do not confirm combat involvement. His private psychiatrist diagnosed him with a gambling disorder, which he contends was related to service. The VA examiner found no PTSD diagnosis, attributing the Veteran's symptoms to his gambling disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, resulting in the dismissal of all issues related to service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate April 2014 VA examination and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD rating was restored to 50 percent effective January 1, 2015. The TDIU entitlement was also restored from that date.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for dermatitis and an acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence. The appellant will be provided with examinations to determine if he currently has these conditions, and whether they are related to his military service.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his symptoms are more closely approximated by a 50 percent evaluation than a higher one.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected sarcoidosis. The claims for muscle cramps, pseudofolliculitis, and anxiety are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for vocational rehabilitation benefits as he successfully pursued and completed a law degree, indicating no employment handicap.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claims for increased ratings of anxiety disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, total arthroplasty of the left knee, and chronic tendonitis of the left arm are all denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and generalized anxiety disorder, is related to his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and thus grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal for higher staged initial ratings for hypertension, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development. The issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss and entitlement to a rating higher than 30 percent for anxiety disorder with adjustment disorder are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of in-service stressors and the need for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of each diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed mental disorders, including PTSD. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder is caused by or aggravated by service.