Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, mood disorder, alcohol dependence, pelvic inflammatory disease, hypertension, and low back strain.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's unspecified bipolar and related disorder prior to September 7, 2016 due to insufficient evidence showing impairment warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claim for an examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is related to service. The Veteran's service records show a change in performance from January 1989 to January 1990 evaluations.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals of earlier effective dates for his service-connected psychiatric disorder, finding that the November 2007 rating decision was final and that there is no valid freestanding claim for an earlier effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The evidence shows that the Veteran's psychiatric conditions are linked to his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, are found to be related to an in-service accident. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed because she already has a 100% schedular rating for her service-connected conditions and special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria, making the issue moot.

Service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea is granted. The issue of SMC for loss of use of a creative organ is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as an acquired psychiatric disability. The VA will obtain additional medical opinions to address the etiology of these conditions and verify the Veteran's claimed stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and major depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a psychiatric examination.

The Board has not decided the service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and anxiety. The claim for reopening of a claim for service connection for anxiety is granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, an increased disability rating for a right foot injury, and an increased disability rating for anxiety disorder were dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and PTSD have been denied. The claim for PTSD was reopened due to new evidence, but the Board found no current diagnosis of PTSD. Service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's reported stressors and need for further development, including verification of MST and combat-related stressors. The Veteran is also required to undergo a VA examination to clarify his current mental health diagnoses.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety, is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed stressors. The Veteran was not provided with a VA examination as requested.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action regarding her claim of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for upper right arm radiculopathy and a right total hip replacement have been denied. The claim for the right total hip replacement is being remanded.,An effective date earlier than September 9, 2015, for the grants of service connection for erectile dysfunction and unspecified anxiety disorder has not been granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and other specified anxiety disorder, is rated at 50 percent. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened and granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and psychiatric conditions (including depression and anxiety disorder), finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted a rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's anxiety with depressive disorder from July 31, 2017. Prior to that date, the rating was 30 percent.