Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to link any diagnosed conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a skin disability, and type II diabetes mellitus. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, are found to have been incurred during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression is etiologically linked to in-service stressors, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The January 1968 rating decision denied the Veteran's implicit claim for TDIU, as it continued his existing disability ratings and did not address the unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, specifically his claims for service connection. A new VA examination is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that his symptoms are linked to in-service stressors and he was diagnosed with PTSD.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and anxiety disorder are granted as secondary to his service-connected back condition. The Board also found that the Veteran's arthritis of the left ankle, left shoulder, and right knee is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected back condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service incident that allegedly caused the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities. The Veteran must provide additional records from his service ship, USS KENNEBEC, to support his claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disability (including depression and anxiety), and a left foot disability due to the need for additional information from the Social Security Administration.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically depression and anxiety disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, chronic lumbar strain, and left elbow medial epicondylitis.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder. However, additional development is required as no VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether the condition is related to service. The Veteran's TDIU claim also requires further development due to lack of updated work history and employment information.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted, with effective dates of October 1, 2010 (psychiatric disability) and December 10, 2018 (low back disability).,The Board found that the Veteran met the requirements for a 40% rating for his low back disability since August 25, 2010 due to daily flare-ups.

The Board has decided that additional VA treatment records should be reviewed and the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between his current disabilities and military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of various psychiatric, digestive, musculoskeletal, and skin conditions claimed by the Veteran. The claims will be reviewed again after these examinations.

The Veteran's hyperlipidemia, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and anxiety) are not service-connected.,Diabetes mellitus is remanded for further review due to herbicide agent exposure.,Right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, and left upper extremity neuropathy are secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II and require further review.,Hypertension is remanded as it may be related to herbicide agent exposure or a heart disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from May 23, 2016 to August 29, 2017 was denied as he was employed during this time and not in marginal employment. The right knee disability claim is remanded for a new VA examination.

The Veteran is seeking a higher initial rating for PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. The AOJ has been instructed to obtain private treatment records from the Veteran's private psychiatrist.