Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, NOS has been rated at 30 percent since September 4, 2012. The Board is remanding the case to obtain updated treatment records and schedule a VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions and missing treatment records. The heart disability case requires an examination to determine if it is aggravated by service, while the anxiety disorder case needs additional mental health treatment notes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, as well as increased rating for the back disability and TDIU. The Veteran's claim is pending due to a lack of a statement of the case (SOC) for unprocessed NODs and the need to verify his in-service stressor involving ABF 2 Rodriguez.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and evaluations for various conditions. The Veteran's TBI claim is denied due to lack of evidence of current disability related to the in-service injury. Service connection for left arm surgery scars remains denied as there are no residuals attributable to the in-service injury. Other claims have been remanded without assigning a specific disposition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and obesity/weight gain, both of which are associated with or secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety and depressive disorder).,The VA examiners found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to the service-connected psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are being remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will seek further examination and medical opinion regarding these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression and anxiety, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The other issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for psychiatric disabilities, personality disorder, bilateral foot disability, dental disability, and cerebrovascular accident have been granted. The claim for personality disorder is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, is related to active service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran had new and material evidence to reopen her claims of service connection for right hand tendonitis and left hand tendonitis.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, characterized as unspecified anxiety, is granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further examination and medical opinions.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for anxiety disorder was granted. Service connection for a lumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability were granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic headache disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is rated at 70 percent prior to March 5, 2018 and since then. The Board has granted a rating of 70 percent for the acquired psychiatric disability effective March 5, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right ankle disorder, right foot disorder, multiple body trauma, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep disorder, and anxiety disorder. The evidence submitted did not provide new or material information to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate for adjudication purposes due to a lack of discussion on whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including whether any preexisting conditions clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. The issues include colon cancer, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, and PTSD), cysts in or on kidneys, and recurring rash.