Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an anxiety or sleep condition (including as secondary to service-connected PTSD), and tinnitus. The claim for tinnitus is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder is proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected disabilities, specifically headaches and recurrent corneal erosions and left eye keratitis.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, a compensable rating for his residual right ankle surgical scar, and an increased evaluation for anxiety disability are all denied. The Veteran is already service-connected for these conditions.

The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as unspecified anxiety disorder, is granted. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee scar is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, lower back, and acquired anxiety disorders. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service injuries.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 18, 2008 for the award of service connection for an anxiety disorder. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new and material evidence submitted after his initial denial in July 2009.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, specifically major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his anxiety disorder NOS is not related to his in-service stressor and that his current psychiatric disorders are more likely due to intercurrent factors such as childhood sexual abuse and incarceration.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his low back disorder. The unspecified anxiety disorder claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information on the Veteran's claimed stressors and the need for a VA examination to clarify his psychiatric diagnoses.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent since January 1, 2016. The condition is characterized by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and etiology of his psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for back, right hip, right knee, and right ankle disabilities as well as a psychiatric disability (including PTSD and anxiety disorder) due to the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to the need for a VA examination regarding his acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as the inextricably intertwined claims for GERD and dizziness. The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that any current psychiatric disability was related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and anxiety. The case is being returned for obtaining additional records related to his employment and education.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to revise a May 2003 rating decision that granted service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder with an effective date of August 4, 1998. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the original decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, insomnia, depression, abdominal pain, anxiety, peripheral vascular disease of the left upper extremity, thoracic spine disability, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stomach condition, peripheral vascular disease of the left lower extremity, peripheral vascular disease of the right lower extremity, peripheral vascular disease of the right upper extremity, and rash for further development. The Veteran's service treatment records are negative for any complaints or findings related to these conditions. However, he contends that his disabilities were incurred during active duty due to various factors including a motor vehicle accident in 1975.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for mental disorder due to traumatic stress also claimed as anxiety, depression and chronic adjustment disorder is granted. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right shoulder disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's increased rating for PTSD and TDIU claim are being remanded due to the need for updated evidence and a VA examination.