Anxiety decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and verification of in-service stressors, as well as determination of the nature, extent, onset and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including general anxiety disorder and depression, is granted. The appeal for psychosis for treatment purposes only is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to February 19, 2013. The Board found that the cumulative effects of his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted.,The issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected psychiatric disabilities (bipolar effective disorder and general anxiety disorder) is remanded. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder other than depression and PTSD, thus service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is denied.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder have been granted an effective date of May 17, 2010 for a 100 percent rating. The issue of a higher rating for the left ankle injury is remanded.

The claim for service connection has been reopened, but the issues of service connection for PTSD, anxiety and mood disorder, bipolar disorder, and depressive neurosis (major depressive disorder) remain pending. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder was denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of generalized anxiety disorder was also denied due to lack of evidence submitted prior to October 11, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for removed nerve tumor from knee, acquired psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression, and memory loss due to lack of current disability evidence and failure to appear at a VA examination. The appeal was remanded multiple times but the Veteran did not cooperate with VA examinations.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The RO denied higher initial disability ratings for the condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has found that the Veteran's anxiety and/or depression may be related to in-service events, but a VA examination is needed to determine this.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, mood disorder, an eating disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder, is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and untranslated documents. The VA must obtain SSA disability benefits decision, translate Spanish documents into English, and continue efforts to locate missing records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders and his service-connected back disorder and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. The issues of increased ratings for left knee, right knee, right hip, and low back disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's anxiety was initially rated at 30 percent and increased to 50 percent effective February 11, 2019. The rating is based on the severity of symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, disturbances of motivation and mood.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychosis or mental illness for the purposes of treatment only was denied. The Board also remanded her secondary service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was reopened. However, the Board denied the claim as there is no evidence to support that his current condition was aggravated by service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, should be remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for a VA examination.