Anxiety decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right eye blindness and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined rating of 70% for his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood resulted in occupational and social impairment, but did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to June 21, 2019. From that date, his symptoms were more consistent with a 50% disability rating.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the right shoulder condition issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, and the adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was granted but at a 50% rating. The appeal is remanded to issue an SOC on the increased rating issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of medical opinions regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The issues include entitlement to DIC based on service connection, duty to assist in development before rendering a decision in an SOC, and whether alcohol abuse was related to psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, or PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence. The claims will be reviewed again with additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board finds that further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination, is necessary.

The Board has remanded the claims of an increased evaluation for service-connected low back disability and for entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, PTSD, and anxiety. The Veteran's low back disability is being evaluated again due to inadequate examination findings, and his acquired psychiatric disorder is being evaluated again as it may be related to his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder, and anxiety, is denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot condition, back condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been reopened. The cases are now remanded to the RO for further development.,Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, and chronic pain syndrome) due to incomplete examination findings and lack of consideration of relevant medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, a low back condition, a left leg condition, a heart condition, an eye disorder, diabetes mellitus, and sleep apnea. The VA is required to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is also remanded for a TDIU determination.,The Board has also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).,The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The case will be readjudicated after all development is completed.,The Board has also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and anorexia is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of records.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a combined effects opinion on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for a higher rating for adjustment disorder with depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom disorder. The Veteran's condition continues to cause significant impairment in work and social functioning.

The Board denied service connection for psychiatric disorder, pneumonia, asthma (secondary to pneumonia), back disability, and tonsillitis. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and a psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and adjustment disorder.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that a TDIU is not warranted.

The Veteran's MDD and anxiety disorder are found to be the result of his service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, thus granting service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.