Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression. The Veteran's claims were based on in-service stressors that were not related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity.,For the left ear hearing loss, the Veteran was assigned a noncompensable rating as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, are related to his military service. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions began during or were aggravated by his time in active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's current anxiety disorder is related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased ratings for right ankle strain and sinusitis due to additional development needed.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records from the Pasco County Vet Center.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to appear for scheduled examinations. The claims will be reconsidered based on the evidence in the record.

The Board has denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, panic disorder, anxiety, and depression.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety. The Board found that there was no causal relationship between the veteran’s current disability and her in-service sexual trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (diagnosed as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder) and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder. The VA needs to obtain an addendum medical opinion from a qualified examiner.

The Board denied DIC benefits for the Appellant as she was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to her 18th birthday, based on lack of evidence in the claims file demonstrating incapacity before December 1986.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service events and a need for further development of his acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, as well as chronic obstructive sleep apnea, has been granted. The appeals for increased evaluations of the low back disability and radiculopathy of the legs, as well as for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed due to his death, and no eligible parties have submitted requests for substitution within the subsequent one-year period.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to unclear diagnoses and potential misclassification of periods of reserve service. Additional development is needed, including verification of all periods of service, examination of the Veteran, and clarification on the etiology of his psychiatric conditions.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran’s claims on this current appeal. The issues of service connection for residuals of head trauma, neck condition, nerve damage to the neck, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete records, including a lack of National Guard personnel records from 1985. The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities are being evaluated again with a new examiner.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent for the period from August 10, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for a panic disorder with major depressive disorder and remanded the issue of rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's neurobehavioral effects, including twitching, skin crawling, jerking, anxiety attacks, headaches, depression, and nervous condition are being remanded for further examination and opinion as the current VA opinions do not address his in-service symptoms or causation.