Anxiety decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examination and conflicting medical evidence. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, obstructive sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disability, and bruxism are all being reviewed.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for all issues concerning service connection for various conditions, including headaches, liver condition, pancreatic condition, sleep apnea, anxiety, insomnia and depression, gastric bypass, kidney condition, loss of gallbladder, loss of spleen, and osteoporosis and bone condition.

The Veteran's PTSD with substance abuse disorder was previously rated at 30 percent, but his condition has worsened since the last VA examination. The Board is remanding to schedule a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions from a VA examiner and insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a psychiatric disability, which may be related to service or secondary to his service-connected lumbar disability.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder rating is restored to 50 percent effective September 1, 2018. A new examination is required for a higher rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, finding that his current condition is related to active service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective February 17, 2012, the date following his discharge from service. The severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability has been severe throughout the period under review.

Your initial rating for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) has been increased to 70 percent, but you have withdrawn your appeal seeking a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety and depression, was dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a higher initial rating for prostate cancer is denied. The claim of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied. The claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for erectile dysfunction is granted. The claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ is granted. Service connection for hypertension was remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to January 19, 2018.,From January 19, 2018, to December 1, 2021, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including adjustment disorder with anxiety and major depressive disorder, is granted. The case for service connection of OSA as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD because no new and material evidence was submitted, as the Veteran's symptoms did not meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety and depressive disorder was granted with an effective date of July 1, 2012. The decision is based on new evidence submitted after the initial denial.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and radiculopathy of the upper extremities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous VA examinations. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional records, including from his private psychiatrist in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is found to have clearly and unmistakably preexisted service but no aggravation was found. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also being examined.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to conflicting evidence and need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's multiple sclerosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for psychiatric conditions and incomplete records. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Veteran's mental health disability, specifically anxiety and depression, is now rated at 70 percent disabling. The TDIU claim based on a single service-connected disability (mental health) has been granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and specific phobia (flying), was granted an increased evaluation of 70 percent effective February 7, 2022. The current rating is in line with the severity of symptoms reported.