Anxiety decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and insomnia. The examiner was not required to consider all diagnoses of any acquired psychiatric disability and did not provide sufficient rationale for their findings.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 1, 2012 to present.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a psychiatric disorder and a left hand/finger condition are granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for respiratory and lower leg conditions are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for VR&E benefits to pursue an educational goal of obtaining a bachelor's degree due to his service-connected and nonservice-connected disabilities, as well as barriers in physical, behavioral, and mental health.

The Board has ordered remand due to the need for verification of the Veteran's reported in-service stressor. The matter will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for a cervical spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's GERD and vasomotor rhinitis are service-connected.,The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and insomnia is remanded as the current VA examination did not address whether these conditions were related to service or undiagnosed illnesses.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left hand disability, and left knee disability. The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder was not found to be related to his military service due to lack of in-service complaints or treatment.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability was also denied as there is no evidence of chronicity within one year post-service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is granted as secondary to service-connected tinnitus.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) as secondary to medication taken for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is etiologically related to his active service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, lumbar strain, cervical spine arthritis, anxiety, and left ankle disability have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 6, 2017.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD was granted. His request for service connection for stomach disorder, to include hernia, remains denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's tinnitus is remanded for further development.,The Veteran's respiratory disability (asthma, bronchitis, bronchospastic disease) is remanded due to potential exposure at Camp Lejeune. The psychiatric disability (PTSD, depression NOS, depressive disorder unspecified, anxiety NOS) is also remanded for a VA examination and opinion regarding service connection.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is remanded for a VA examination and opinion regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder NOS, and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, is being reviewed.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death prior to a final decision. The Board did not address the merits of any claims as it had no jurisdiction.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a mental health disorder, including PTSD and GAD. Additionally, the Board has also remanded his claims for higher ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the lumbar spine, osteoarthritis of the right hip, and osteoarthritis of the left hip.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, which includes components of depression and anxiety, is granted. The Board affords the benefit of doubt to the Veteran's claims and finds that his current diagnoses are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 9, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, need for stressor verification, and need for a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and anxiety is pending.