Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to active service or his claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was granted. However, the reopened claim itself was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder due to lack of new and material evidence. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of bursitis, a respiratory disorder (claimed as breathing difficulty), and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have been remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II has also been remanded due to the need for additional factual development regarding his exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of definitive evidence linking his current conditions to service. The case will be reviewed with a new examination using DSM-5 criteria.

The Veteran's claims for anxiety (also claimed as sleep disorder), PTSD, and insomnia are remanded due to the need for a psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of any present acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and depression was reopened due to new evidence. The Board found that the Veteran has these conditions as a result of his military service in Iraq, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of relevant treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to conflicting evidence.

The Board has determined that there is new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. However, due to inadequate medical opinions in a prior remand, the case must be returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is rated at a 50 percent since the beginning of the appeal period, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no in-service stressor or injury to support a diagnosis of PTSD and other mental health conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is being remanded for a more recent evaluation to assess its current severity.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a separate diagnosis of anxiety and therefore denied service connection for anxiety. Service connection for insomnia is remanded due to unclear etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of anxiety disorder and insomnia had their onset in service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has remanded both issues for further development. For service connection, the Veteran needs to provide a clear diagnosis of her current psychiatric conditions and establish a link between those conditions and her military service. For tinea pedis, additional evidence is needed to determine if there has been any worsening since the last examination.

The Veteran's GAD and PTSD are rated at 30 percent, but the Board has decided to remand the case for further evaluation due to possible worsening of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities are related to service. The RO is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records and private non-VA treatment records, as well as an addendum medical opinion from the January 2018 examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, stress, depression, sleep disorder, nightmares, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), was not incurred in or related to his active duty service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities. The Veteran is entitled to a VA examination to determine if any of his claimed conditions are related to service.