Anxiety decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board has also remanded several issues, including those related to bilateral hearing loss, arthritis of the right elbow, multiple fractures of the mandible, sleep apnea, and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's schizophrenia and depressive anxiety symptoms have been rated at a 70 percent disability rating since August 12, 2011.,The Veteran is granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities prior to September 25, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable rating prior to October 21, 2019, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter for service-connected TBI, and entitlement to a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and clarification on the level of memory impairment caused by his service-connected TBI.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood has been granted, restoring the original 50 percent rating. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, anxiety, and various musculoskeletal conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since January 8, 2010. The Board has granted the TDIU from that date.

The Veteran's GAD has been rated at 50 percent since August 2012, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was reasonably construed as including claims for service connection of multiple conditions. The effective date for the TDIU rating is set at November 4, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety as due to military sexual trauma (MST), based on credible evidence of the in-service stressor.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for entitlement to a TDIU. However, given that he is in receipt of SSA disability benefits due to primarily dysthymic disorder, there is a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities. The issue must be remanded for referral to VA's Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder, anxiety, and adjustment disorder, is granted as service connected. The claim for migraine headaches is reopened and remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for psychiatric disorders, lumbar spine disorder, hypertension, GERD, and hemorrhoids have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of the assigned percentages for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded several issues related to service connection.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. The Board dismissed this issue as a result of the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic maxillary sinusitis was dismissed. The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for headaches and a rating in excess of 30 percent for anxiety disorder due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date of this grant remains the date of receipt of the original claim in June 19, 2009.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues with scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. The Veteran will need to be rescheduled for an examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disability, ESRD, and depression and anxiety as secondary to ESRD are remanded due to new evidence submitted.

The Veteran's hypertension and anxiety neurosis were denied as service connection, with the rating for anxiety neurosis being denied at both 30 percent prior to October 30, 2014, and 50 percent since.

The Board has remanded two claims: one for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety; the other for a higher rating for TBI residuals. The Veteran needs to undergo additional examinations to determine if he has PTSD and whether his TBI or its residuals are causing or aggravating any acquired psychiatric disorders.