Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychological condition (including anxiety and depression). The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's service records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone level, a neurological disability, or an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found the evidence insufficient to establish these conditions as being incurred in or aggravated by his military service.,There is no credible evidence linking the Veteran’s current conditions of tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone level, a neurological disability, and/or an acquired psychiatric disorder to his active duty service.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radicular pain or paresthesia, as well as his neurogenic erectile dysfunction (ED), are considered secondary to his low back disability. The Veteran is currently rated at the minimum evaluation for an individual with a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more who requires continuous medication for control.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder and tinnitus did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to December 3, 2014. Therefore, his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, specifically PTSD. The Veteran is required to provide additional information and authorize VA to obtain any relevant private treatment records. A new VA mental disorders examination will be conducted to determine the etiology of all acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in not providing a proper statement of reasons or bases for denying service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD. The Veteran's VA treatment records show he was diagnosed with various psychiatric conditions during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. Effective dates prior to December 12, 2017 are not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for lumbar spine DDD and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been dismissed as the AOJ granted service connection for the psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and a neurological disorder (including Bell's palsy).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric condition other than PTSD, including Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety. The Board found no current evidence of a diagnosed mental health disability related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for cause of death, exposure to Agent Orange, and psychiatric disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, persistent depressive disorder, and anxiety. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of increased rating for anxiety disorder and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding active military service.

The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU and remanded the issue of SMC due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic myelogenous leukemia and an initial rating for anxiety disorder are remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to the Veteran's contention of unemployability.

The Board has granted a 100 percent evaluation for anxiety disorder prior to December 9, 2016. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the issues of an increased rating and TDIU.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and depressive disorder are related to his active service, and he is granted service connection for these conditions. His tinnitus is also found to be related to service, but his bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a VA disability.