Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding any psychiatric disability, including anxiety. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disorder and tension headaches remain under review.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety disorder as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The claims for right and left knee disabilities, and sleep disorder are remanded due to incomplete VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia and PTSD, finding that his personality disorders pre-existed active service and were not aggravated by such service.

The Veteran's service-connection claim for bipolar disorder was reopened, and the Board found that her acquired psychiatric disability began during active service. The decision grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is not service-connected as it did not start during service and is not related to his bilateral foot disability.,Major depressive disorder has been established as a result of military service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, and hypertension as they are no longer relevant due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to his service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder, and depression have been granted based on the confirmed stressor events during his deployment in Iraq and Kuwait.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right and left leg conditions, neuropathy, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and anxiety), hypertension, and a heart condition. The VA is directed to obtain medical records from the South Carolina Department of Corrections and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are at least as likely as not incurred during his active military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and rating determinations. The specific issues are tinnitus, hypertension, sleep apnea, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy (claimed as right leg condition), and a psychiatric disability.

The Board has granted service connection for HIV, but the issues of service connection for coronary artery disease, anxiety, and depression secondary to HIV have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for bipolar disorder and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, discrete from bipolar disorder. The decision is based on the need for additional medical examination to assess the current severity of service-connected bipolar disorder and whether the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for another distinct psychological disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. The Board has found new and material evidence to support the reopening of his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, anxiety disorder; however, no new or material evidence was found to reopen his claims for hypertension, post-operative abdominal injury, diabetes mellitus, type II, and right hip scar (residual of a gunshot wound).

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD and anxiety, due to military sexual trauma. The TDIU claim is remanded as it must be deferred until a disability rating is assigned for the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and polysubstance abuse, is granted. The Board found credible evidence of the in-service sexual assault that led to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and PTSD, as well as his claim for total disability due to individual unemployability. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood is rated at 70 percent, effective March 6, 2011. The Board found the evidence in equipoise regarding his symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relationship to his military service.