Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his anxiety disorder is remanded due to the lack of recent VA examination and reported worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, are found to be related to his service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric condition, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions and additional evidence submitted by the Veteran. The issues of service connection for PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder with features of OCD and GAD, and bilateral hearing loss are being reviewed.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, should be remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and missing medical records.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is granted as his current diagnosis of PTSD is related to in-service stressors involving fear of hostile military activity.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a different VA examiner regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a cognitive impairment (claimed as memory impairment).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete service treatment records.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is rated at a 30 percent disability rating prior to October 23, 2018. From October 23, 2018, the rating remains at 30 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that there was no evidence of chronic or continuous symptoms since service and concluding that any current psychiatric condition is not related to military service.

The Board dismissed the appeal for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and granted an initial evaluation of 50 percent, but no higher, for anxiety disorder, NOS. The Veteran's anxiety disorder is characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder is not considered a contributing factor to his cause of death, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's mental health disabilities were related to service or his service-connected conditions, and if VA staff failed to exercise proper care in prescribing medications.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include PTSD, anxiety, hypertension secondary to a psychiatric disorder, and supraventricular tachycardia secondary to a psychiatric disorder.

An effective date of March 27, 2009, is granted for the grant of service connection for PTSD. For the rating period from March 27, 2009 to February 7, 2012, a 70 percent rating for PTSD is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is not related to service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his current conditions are causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder. The effective date remains to be determined as the Veteran did not submit claims until June 23, 2017.