Anxiety decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service exposure and its relation to his current conditions. The claims are pending further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with depression, including his alcohol use disorder, is rated at 70 percent since January 17, 2013. A TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, was found to be productive of no worse than occasional decrease in efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. The Board determined that the symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected asthma and anxiety, and his sleep apnea. The examiner is requested to provide an addendum opinion addressing obesity as a potential intermediate step in this causal chain.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD. The VA examiner needs to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between the Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder and his heart condition or ultimate death. The Board considered multiple medical opinions but found them inconclusive.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder, has been granted. The decision is based on direct evidence linking the disorders to his military service in Iraq.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an unspecified anxiety disorder is remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and dementia are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has referred the issues of service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for adjudication. The AOJ must address these intertwined claims before determining whether the appellant can be considered a veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a finding that his disorders were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and OSA. The Veteran's claims were not granted as the evidence did not support a finding that his current conditions are related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, should be remanded due to the need for a medical opinion applying DSM-V criteria and addressing the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that he does not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than April 10, 2018 for the grant of service connection for various conditions have been denied.,Effective dates cannot be established before the date of separation from active duty or the date entitlement arose if within one year.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, intermittent explosive disorder, mixed adjustment disorder, and anxiety, should be remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The examination must consider the DSM-IV criteria as well as the updated DSM-5 criteria.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a cold injury to the bilateral hands is remanded.

The Veteran's headaches started during service and continued until his death. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's headaches had their onset in service, and grants service connection for headaches.,Regarding the acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Schizoaffective Disorder), the Board notes there are several diagnoses present. Adequate opinions have not been obtained that separately address each theory of entitlement and psychiatric disorder that the Veteran was diagnosed with during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, was caused or aggravated by his service-connected hepatitis C at any time after service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including other reaction in severe stress, unspecified depressive disorder, and unspecified anxiety disorder NOS, are found to be related to his service. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's anatomical loss of left eye is granted compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, with the proximate cause being VA's error in judgment regarding treatment timing.,The Veteran's depression and anxiety are also granted as secondary to his service-connected anatomical loss of left eye.