Anxiety decisions — 2021

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, and bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The Board has also remanded the cases of a bilateral knee disability, blood disease and cranium cyst, and the reopening of the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected anemia and anxiety disorder. The VA needs to obtain a new medical opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and medical nexus opinions regarding his claimed conditions, including coronary artery disease, acquired psychiatric disorder, neurobehavioral effects, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral hand neuropathy, stroke, erectile dysfunction, and prostate disability. The claims are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder is granted. The claims for other conditions are remanded.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to GAD is granted. The reduction in rating from 50% to 30% for GAD, effective February 1, 2019, was not proper and the 50% evaluation is restored.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to April 28, 2017 for PTSD, insomnia disorder, and other specified anxiety disorder was denied. The claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, dry skin disability, TDIU prior to April 28, 2017, and DEA benefits were also denied.

The Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and PTSD, has been granted. The Board has also remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding a stressor event and the need for further examination to determine if PTSD is warranted. The Veteran's service connection claim remains pending.

The reduction of the disability rating for unspecified depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder from 70% to 50% was improper, and the prior 70% rating is restored.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 50 percent evaluation prior to July 15, 2020, which reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information and needs further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a different examiner regarding the severity of the Veteran's anxiety disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for psychiatric disabilities and a rating for his lumbar spine disability. The remaining issues are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability (depressive disorder) was reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability was also reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability may be aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and TDIU due to service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder and anxiety) was denied. The current rating of 70% is maintained, but the Veteran is granted TDIU effective from August 21, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertriglyceridemia and recurrent periodontitis have been denied as these conditions are not considered disabilities for VA compensation purposes.,Multiple other claims were also included in the September 2014 remand, but service connection was either established or not transferred back to the Board. The Veteran's gout, LeFort I osteotomy residuals of the maxilla and mandible, kidney stones, and knee claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression was denied. The Board found that her symptoms did not meet the criteria for a total schedular evaluation of 100 percent due to occupational and social impairment in most areas.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease, along with its associated symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, dementia, ADHD, depression, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction, are all considered service-connected.,Service connection has been granted for these conditions based on their direct relationship to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's request to reopen his finally denied claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was granted. The Board found that the evidence presented raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim and established a nexus between the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood aggravates his obstructive sleep apnea.