Anxiety decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his in-service stressors. The Board requests additional records from the NPRC and JSRRC to corroborate the Veteran's reports of exposure.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 8, 2014 for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) on account of the need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the increased rating of 70 percent for unspecified anxiety and depressive disorders should be prior to February 14, 2019. However, due to a procedural error in determining whether new and material evidence was received within one year of the January 2019 rating decision, the case is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was raised as part of his initial rating claim for major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder. The effective date for the grant of a TDIU is set at December 27, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of evidence linking his current diagnoses to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations and outstanding treatment records. The Veteran is also being asked to provide releases for any correctional facilities where he was incarcerated, as these records may contain relevant information.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, GERD, and a right middle finger condition due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be related to his active service.,Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (unspecified depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified mood disorder).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence suggesting possible service connection, and for a VA psychiatric examination to confirm diagnoses and determine etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for pneumonia, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and hemorrhoids have been dismissed. The appeal to reopen his psychiatric disorder claim has been granted. The remaining claims are remanded due to new evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. An addendum opinion is needed from a qualified examiner.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD, depression and anxiety is granted. For the period since September 19, 2022, a disability rating of 40 percent for left lower extremity varicose veins is granted.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were not causally related to his military service and that there was no credible evidence corroborating his claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for his psychiatric condition, specifically anxiety disorder and other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder, was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on several of his claims, including bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board also granted service connection for bilateral pes planus but denied service connection for hyperhidrosis and convulsive tic as secondary to a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 50% from December 4, 2016 to January 22, 2020. The rating for the condition will remain at 50% thereafter.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including anxiety and depression, neck disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, back disability, vertigo, sleeping disorder (including sleep apnea), and Meniere's syndrome. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain records from University of Western States chiropractic school in Portland, Oregon.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 100 percent, and he meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, there is no evidence that any single service-connected condition prevents him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. Additional development is needed to obtain relevant records and provide an adequate opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.