Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was dismissed as the benefits sought (other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder with mental disorders, anxiety disorders) are now granted in full.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and right eye injury residuals.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of unspecified anxiety disorder and depressive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was denied. The Board found that the earliest date available for service connection is December 10, 2018.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her psychiatric condition was granted with a 100 percent rating effective from December 10, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, insomnia, and PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service stressor related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA medical opinion, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and fatigue is being reviewed again.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The appeal is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to assess the Veteran's employability prior to May 7, 2019, considering his service-connected disabilities and past limitations.

The Veteran's headache disability is granted as service connected. The issues of dizziness and Meniere's disease are remanded for further examination and opinion. The issue of an acquired psychiatric disability (to include anxiety or depression) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including a lack of verification for his reported stressor event and an inadequate VA examination. The case will be further developed with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's temporary total evaluation for hospitalization due to service-connected depression was denied as the hospitalization lasted exactly 21 days, which is not considered 'in excess' of 21 days.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and development of records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, claimed as mental anguish and anxiety, secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disorder is denied. The evidence does not support the existence of a separate and distinct psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed all the issues related to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression and posttraumatic stress disorder is granted, with an evaluation of 50 percent effective December 5, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right arm radiating pain and anxiety/bulimia/alcohol dependence in remission due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypoglycemia was denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability. The appeal for psychiatric disability (claimed as insomnia and anxiety) was granted based on the February 2019 VA examination report.,Service connection for right shoulder, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right leg disabilities were all denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service onset. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability meeting the regulatory requirements.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, sleep disorder, acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety), back disability, right hip condition, left hip condition, right foot condition, left foot condition, right eye condition, and left upper eyelid chalazion have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for right knee disability and left knee disability have also been denied due to the lack of current evidence of these conditions.

Service connection is granted for PTSD with GAD, sleep impairment as part of PTSD and GAD, right elbow enthesopathy, left ankle gout, and left knee gout. Service connection is denied for gout, claimed as joint pain.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus was granted, while the claims for bilateral hearing loss and anxiety/depression were remanded.,Bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria. Anxiety/depression is remanded to determine its relationship to service-connected hypothyroidism.

Service connection for Multiple Sclerosis is granted, with a rating of 50% effective February 19, 2019.,Service connection for an adjustment disorder with anxiety is granted, effective February 19, 2019.