Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the origin of the Veteran's Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot disorder, right ankle disorder, and psychiatric condition. The claims are now remanded for further development including VA examinations.

Service connection for prostate cancer is granted.,Secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) to include as secondary to prostate cancer is granted.,Entitlement to service connection for fatigue is denied.,The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including anxiety, is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder, has been reopened. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development and clarification of medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, memory loss, back disability, headache disability, and chronic fatigue syndrome. The issues include service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder is rated at a 50 percent, effective from the date of the appeal.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment.

Effective October 1, 2014, the Veteran was granted service connection for right and left knee injuries (patellar/quadriceps tendon ruptures), bilateral knee scars, and an anxiety disorder. Effective October 1, 2014, he also received separate 10% ratings for right and left knee instability.,The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded as there are no prior unadjudicated claims.

The Board has remanded the claim for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion on the diagnoses of atypical stress disorder, anxiety disorder NOS, and bipolar disorder type I, mixed.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression and anxiety secondary to colon cancer) due to a lack of compliance with DSM-V criteria in the previous VA examination. The Veteran is to be provided another VA examination to determine if he has a current diagnosis of a mental disability that conforms to DSM-V criteria, and whether it is related to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD and Anxiety were rated at 50 percent prior to April 21, 2011. From April 21, 2011 to July 28, 2014, a 70 percent rating was granted. After that date, the Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder not otherwise specified with depressive disorder NOS (claimed as dysthymia and depression) associated with sinusitis is rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board denied entitlement to an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to conflicting opinions on whether the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD under either DSM-IV or DSM-5. Additional etiology opinions are needed, and VA treatment records from Massachusetts VAMC and Lake Baldwin CBOC should be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, heart disorder, and hypertension have been denied as these conditions are not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand is necessary to obtain updated medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities.

The claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and granted. The claims for heart disease, hypertension, residuals of malaria, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder and TDIU is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified was denied. The Board also found that there is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for the lumbar spine disability and left knee strain.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The decision finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and any other psychological disability, including an anxiety disorder, and depression using the DSM-V criteria. The examiner must consider the Veteran's in-service experiences and provide opinions on whether his PTSD is based upon conceded stressors.