Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, finding that there was no evidence showing a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death, as it has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claims.

The Board has granted a 50 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected GAD prior to August 19, 2016. The Veteran's symptoms have been characterized as occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination for his psychiatric disorders, as well as a new VA examination for his bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's GAD and PTSD have been granted an initial rating of 70 percent, effective April 6, 2009. A TDIU has also been granted based on these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for adjustment disorder, unspecified adjustment reaction, unspecified depressive disorder, and unspecified anxiety. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities began during active service.

The Veteran was already reimbursed the $1,326.60 in attorney's fees originally withheld from his February 22, 2019 rating decision and is no longer seeking to have it returned.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric condition, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress, opioid and cocaine use disorder, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and effective dates for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded due to missing documents. The Board also notes that additional development is needed regarding the etiology of any other acquired psychiatric disabilities, including as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a heart condition due to incomplete development of the record.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, schizoaffective disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, panic disorder with agoraphobia, paranoid delusional disorder, psychotic disorder NOS, and anxiety disorder NOS. The decision is based on the evidence showing that these conditions began during service and are related to his combat-related stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for additional mental health records, including SSA records. The Veteran's claim for PTSD related to military sexual trauma (MST) is reopened based on new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to October 7, 2013, for service connection of unspecified anxiety disorder is denied as there was no pending claim prior to that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder not otherwise specified, and anxiety disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service stressors or a current diagnosis of PTSD. The other diagnosed conditions were found to be unrelated to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear cause of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and incomplete medical records. The Veteran will need a VA examination to determine if his anxiety and depression are related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased disability rating and reopening of service connection claims, leaving no issues for the Board to review.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an examination to determine if any of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his military service or a service-connected disability.

Your appeal for a higher rating for your major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder has been dismissed as you have requested to withdraw the appeal.

Service connection granted for unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder (anxiety) as they are related to service. Service connection denied for PTSD.,Headaches secondary to irritable bowel syndrome were not found, and service connection is remanded.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is currently rated at a 30 percent rating prior to August 21, 2015. The Board finds that the symptoms described meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating.