Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and lack of medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety. The claim will be further evaluated with a VA examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD with anxiety and depression, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine with muscle spasms, cervical spine, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left lower extremity varicose veins are all granted. The service connection is determined to be direct.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for TDIU, increased rating for psychiatric disorder prior to June 27, 2022, and service connection for thyroid condition. The claims are dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with anxiety) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer status post-prostatectomy.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no basis to increase this rating. The issues of PTSD with depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorder, hypertension, degenerative disc disease with sciatica, TDIU prior to May 28, 2010, and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's migraine headaches, left and right knee disabilities, and lumbar spine disability are all rated as per the criteria for their respective conditions. The acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is also rated appropriately.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the presence, severity, and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder).

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, specifically Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety and Depression, was granted a 70 percent rating from May 20, 2013 to December 31, 2013.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, is related to his service-connected wrist condition. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, back condition, and abdominal scars have been granted service connection. The Veteran is assigned a disability rating of 100% for his abdominal scars.

The Board has remanded three issues: an increased rating for unspecified anxiety and depressive disorder, an increased rating for left ankle disability, and an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability with these other claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The issues of prostate, erectile dysfunction, GERD, GI ulcer, and sleep condition are related to the Veteran's in-service stressors or symptoms.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating of 70 percent for his service-connected psychiatric disability is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's symptoms, including persistent depression and anxiety, affect most areas of his life, warranting a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder is granted as service-connected. The claims for right lower leg muscle disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and low back disability are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right elbow epicondylitis, right sciatica, and acquired psychiatric disabilities. The Veteran's reports of pain during active duty have been considered, along with her STRs, to find that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to her service.

The appeal of the January 2023 rating decision denial for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hemorrhoids, and COPD is dismissed. The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder during a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Anxiety disorder unspecified, finding that new evidence received after the May 2019 rating decision is relevant to these issues. The Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety disorder are supported by medical records, including a VA mental health consultation note from December 2018 and an August 2023 letter from a VA psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. The Board also found credible supporting evidence for the Veteran's in-service stressors, leading to service connection for both PTSD and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for ischemic cardiomyopathy was reopened and granted based on evidence showing a current disability, in-service injury, and a nexus between the two.,Service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss meeting VA criteria.