Anxiety decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiners and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, GERD, and erectile dysfunction. The acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be caused by the Veteran's military service. Hypertension, GERD, and erectile dysfunction are found to be aggravated by his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, specifically whether they are related to his service-connected low back disability. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it may be significantly impacted by the outcome of the service connection claim.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and reopening of a previously denied claim for gastrointestinal disorders due to inadequate compliance with prior remand instructions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for joint and bone pain cannot be reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claims for increased ratings, TDIU, headaches, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder not otherwise specified (NOS), anxiety disorder, and alcoholism.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that further development is needed to determine if his condition warrants a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder had its onset during service or is otherwise related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with anxiety and PTSD, as well as his claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her hysterectomy has been denied.,Her claim for service connection for urinary incontinence as secondary to her hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy due to uterine fibroids has been granted.

The Veteran withdrew all his pending appeals regarding service connection for generalized anxiety disorder with panic disorder, a right knee disorder, and a left knee disorder before the Board made its decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no competent evidence of a diagnosis or treatment during service and concluding that his current condition is less likely related to any in-service injury. The preponderance of the evidence supports this decision.

The Veteran's initial rating for MDD with anxious distress (also claimed as anxiety condition and PTSD) was granted at 40 percent prior to January 8, 2020. A higher rating of more than 40 percent is denied from that date forward.

The Veteran meets the schedular percentage requirements for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inadequate examinations and failure to consider changes in rating criteria over time.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an additional examination and medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood and his diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence supports the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic mental disability, including anxiety and PTSD. The Veteran was exposed to traumatic events during his service aboard the USS Constellation in 1963, which led to a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as it pertains to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a VA Form 10182 filed by the Veteran, which opted him into the modernized appeals system (AMA).