Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, including a need for additional VA examinations and obtaining private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his anxiety disorder with depression and restoration of a 20 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss effective from June 18, 2016.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection for schizophrenia and anxiety disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the left upper extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the right upper extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the left lower extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the right lower extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that a low back disability began during active service, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that a bilateral eye disability began during active service, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that Crohn’s Disease began during active service, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,Entitlement to service connection for a stroke is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for a heart disability with a heart attack is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and lack of discussion on the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic sinus disability and acquired psychiatric disorder due to conflicting medical opinions.,For asthma, a new VA examination is needed to determine its current severity.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen her claim for service connection for bilateral dequervain’s tenosynovitis and has also granted service connection for this condition. However, it denied service connection for depression and anxiety as there was no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, anxiety, and left shoulder disability were denied. The case is remanded to determine the nature of any hip disability.

The Board has dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder) is remanded.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating due to his service-connected disabilities, and is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine its severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to May 29, 2014 did not preclude him from performing gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience otherwise qualify him.

The Veteran's service connection claim for generalized anxiety disorder with insomnia is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis and association with his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability, prostate disorder (including residuals of prostate cancer and residuals of prostate surgery), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, and an anxiety disorder) due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand instructions. The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and Persistent Depressive Disorder, are being reviewed for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include substance abuse, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and PTSD is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder other than substance abuse.

The Veteran's mental disability is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating as there was no evidence of total social impairment.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn regarding service connection for TMJ. The effective date of her grant of service connection for depression with anxiety and insomnia is denied as it should have been earlier than May 2, 2013.,Her initial rating for depression with anxiety and insomnia prior to June 20, 2016 was denied as the symptoms did not meet or approximate a higher disability rating.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in this case is inadequate and requires a new examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including dementia and generalized anxiety disorder, are related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's anxiety disorder with PTSD is related to service. The VA needs to obtain more information and possibly seek additional medical records.