Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, was granted a disability rating of 30 percent prior to January 9, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chest pain, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and PTSD), hypertension, headaches, and involuntary muscle spasms/tremors due to incomplete service treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and hepatitis C due to a lack of adequate VA examinations. The Veteran testified about in-service assaults, post-service diagnoses, and potential exposure to hepatitis C through air gun inoculations and tattoos.

The Board denied the claim to reopen service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to show a relationship between the Veteran's military service and his suicide.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic depressive disorder with anxiety and alcohol abuse was granted on March 13, 2017. The Board found that an earlier effective date is not warranted as the Veteran did not submit a prior unadjudicated request or relevant service department records after a final rating decision.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected left calf strain.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Veteran's anxiety disorder claim is remanded due to a failure to obtain VA treatment records and an examination.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings was denied. The VA determined that the current disability ratings did not adequately reflect the severity of his service-connected conditions, but found no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been reopened, but the Board is remanding his claims for a higher rating for PTSD and service connection for additional psychiatric disorders due to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected generalized anxiety disorder and Bell’s palsy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of her conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification regarding whether the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, separate from his service-connected PTSD, and if so, whether it is related to service. Additionally, the Board has also remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is causally or etiologically related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, but remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide an examination. The Veteran is presumed to have PTSD related to his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating or TDIU remains pending. The Board has remanded to develop his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to adjudicate the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30% prior to September 18, 2017 and at 50% from that date forward. The rating was granted as the symptoms more closely approximate a 50% disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. Additional development is needed to determine if any current psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety but remanded the case for further development regarding PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.