Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, has been dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, has not resulted in occupational and social impairment warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and anxiety were granted a 100% rating as of August 15, 2018.,An effective date prior to August 15, 2018 for the increased rating of unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to April 29, 2016, for service connection of generalized anxiety disorder, tinnitus, back condition, and tension/migraine headaches due to a lack of evidence showing VA received her claim before that date.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety and insomnia have been rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has been granted an initial compensable rating of 20 percent.,Service connection for a neurological disorder of the right upper extremity (claimed as brachial plexus disorder) and a neurological disorder of the right lower extremity, to include as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain, have both been remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for a neurological disorder of the left upper extremity (claimed as brachial plexus disorder) has not been met.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent, but not higher, throughout the appeal. He also receives a TDIU rating throughout the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for hemorrhoids and remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as panic disorder). The hemorrhoids are found to have had their onset during service. The psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities, particularly those related to secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear service dates and a need for clarification regarding the Appellant's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). The claims for service connection are also pending, as no SOC has been issued.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including whether they are related to military service or caused by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for further development, including obtaining personnel and service medical records, and scheduling a psychiatric examination.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied service connection for migraines and insomnia. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examination and nexus opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 19, 2019. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted. The Board found that the Veteran had an acquired psychiatric disorder related to his combat experiences in Vietnam, bilateral hearing loss preexisting service but aggravated by noise exposure during service, and tinnitus likely due to his hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since February 5, 2023. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date. However, the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right leg shortening and to a TDIU prior to February 5, 2023 are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, finding that there was no evidence linking his current psychiatric condition to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety, and Major Depression as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for personality disorder is denied, but the Board finds that his acquired psychiatric disability (other than personality disorder) is attributable to an in-service incident and grants service connection on a direct basis.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 17, 2020 for a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with insomnia disorder, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder is granted. The increase in the Veteran's disability occurred within one year prior to his April 21, 2020 claim, making January 17, 2020 the earliest possible effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and major depression is now pending.