Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, specifically her PTSD and depression. The case will be addressed on its merits with an addendum opinion from a qualified clinician.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons for denying a higher initial rating of 50 percent for anxiety disorder. The Veteran's symptoms have consistently interfered with his employment and social functioning.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting diagnoses and opinions concerning the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, requiring further examination and review of medical records.

The VA has received new and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lung disability. The Veteran's lung/respiratory disabilities are not causally related to service, but due to his history of chronic smoking. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disability, alcoholism, and sleep disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and alcohol dependence is denied as the preponderance of evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD or any other mental health condition related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asbestosis has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is established for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, tension headaches, COPD, and obstructive sleep apnea, all of which are found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected herniated disc disorder.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 24, 2013 for the awards of TDIU, SMC at the housebound rate, and establishment of basic eligibility for Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits. The Veteran met the threshold percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU as of January 24, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal of PTSD service connection is dismissed. The Board has also found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder, is already service-connected and does not require a separate claim for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for Antisocial Personality Disorder and Acquired Psychiatric Disorders, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with anxiety and alcohol abuse disorder, finding that there was no evidence showing a direct link to service or another service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder with generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD features have been rated at 50 percent prior to October 29, 2016. The Board has determined that the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has withdrawn the issue of special monthly pension and granted service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee disabilities, anxiety disorder, and remanded issues regarding a lumbar spine disability and a right eye disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding in-service stressors and the need for updated VA treatment records. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, will be evaluated based on their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for TBI residuals was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety disorder, is dismissed because it has already been addressed and denied by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for anxiety disorder was denied. The case is remanded due to the need for further development regarding the total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an initial increased rating for PTSD and a TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities. The remands are necessary because the May 2019 VA examination is inadequate in addressing the Veteran’s occupational and social impairment related to his service-connected PTSD, and also due to the interdependence of the TDIU claim with the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and TDIU due to a need for further examination and review of evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The TDIU claim for prior to April 1, 2010 is denied, but a TDIU is granted starting from April 1, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to duty to assist errors. The case will be returned for the VA examiner to provide a rationale regarding whether the Veteran’s psychiatric disorders are related to service, including his reported stressors as a firefighter during military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate reasons and bases in the September 2018 Board decision regarding effective dates. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is reconsidered based on newly discovered service department records.