Anxiety decisions — 2023

The appeal for service connection for hepatitis C has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The appeals for increased rating for anxiety and depression, service connection for low back disorder, knee disorders, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus are all remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient competent medical evidence to decide the claim, and a VA examination is needed to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the addition of new VA treatment records and examination findings that need to be reviewed by the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a rating for her lumbar spine disability, and a TDIU due to the need for additional development of evidence. The issues include obtaining an addendum opinion on the Veteran's PTSD diagnosis and assessing her lumbar spine disability with associated neurological impairments.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and anxiety disorders, pre-existed service or were aggravated by military service. The VA examiner was asked to provide an opinion on these issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a psychiatric condition, including PTSD. The decision found that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure leading to current right ear hearing loss or any link between the Veteran's current mental health conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a timely Notice of Disagreement filed by the Veteran, and will now address service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a bilateral knee condition.

The Veteran's service-connected GAD and MDD resulted in occupational and social impairment prior to January 4, 2022. The Board granted an initial rating of 50 percent for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding service connection for a psychiatric disability and the cause of death. The Veteran's claimed stressors are to be verified, as well as relevant medical records from September 2012. A VA medical opinion is needed to address the etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disabilities and their relationship to service-connected conditions or other factors.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and depression, is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and etiology opinions.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as related to service-connected prostate cancer.,The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, has been reopened due to new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and his service-connected conditions, as well as whether obesity is an intermediate step in causing or aggravating the condition.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders was denied because the evidence did not support the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressors.,There is no credible corroborating evidence to support the Veteran's reported stressors, including those related to Hurricane Katrina, alcohol poisoning, and a helicopter fire.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed anxiety disorder and depression are related to his service, specifically his exposure to flag-draped coffins during his time onboard the U.S.S. Belknap in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome (left upper extremity) as secondary to multiple sclerosis, and initial evaluations for migraines including migraine variants and anxiety disorder have been denied. The Veteran was granted an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for his anxiety disorder prior to November 8, 2017, and a higher evaluation from that date.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional VA examination and addendum opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The remand aims to address discrepancies in diagnoses between VA treatment records and previous examinations.

The Board has determined that additional relevant service medical and personnel records have been received, necessitating the reconsideration of multiple claims for various disabilities.

The Veteran's RLS is rated at a 10 percent disability rating since November 1, 2016.,Prior to July 1, 2022, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied, and his initial rating for anxiety disorder prior to September 14, 2018, was granted at a 50% level. His request for a higher rating for anxiety disorder from September 14, 2018, is also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric condition, including depression and alcoholism, as well as hepatitis C. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records.