Anxiety decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disability, right leg pain, a right knee disability, a mid and low back disability, diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have all been denied.,There is no evidence of any diagnosed psychiatric condition during or within one year after service discharge. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and depressive disorder, is granted. The Board found that her current psychiatric condition is attributable to her military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and/or PTSD) due to outstanding private treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, residuals of bladder cancer, and erectile dysfunction is dismissed.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is granted from January 8, 2019. The Veteran's GERD claim remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need to locate the curricula vitae of the VA examiners who performed the examinations in May 2021 and August 2021.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if he is entitled to compensation for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder, chronic anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for low back disability is also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression, anxiety, schizoaffective disorder, and PTSD, which the Veteran claims is secondary to military sexual trauma. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his in-service experiences and his current mental health conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to March 4, 2011 was denied as the evidence did not show that he was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder with polysubstance abuse. The Veteran's chronic kidney stones case is remanded due to lack of recent VA examination.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, and insomnia disorder with anxious distress are found to be related to service. The claim for PTSD is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back condition, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and hypertension due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disability present at the time of the Veteran's death, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Chronic Adjustment Disorder. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's service in Vietnam and his AWOL periods.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically his anxiety, depression, and sleep disorder. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to service or any other factors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but has remanded it for further development and examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with depressive disorder and anxiety, is granted as service connected. Her alcohol use disorder in early remission is also granted. Service connection for multiple personality disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder are denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, MDD, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorder, are granted as service connected. His vertigo is also granted as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including his right shoulder condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder, skeletal arthritis, and skin condition. The decision is based on the need for additional examinations and records.