Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for anxiety, depression, and sleep issues have been withdrawn. The appeal for service connection for photophobia and urinary incontinence is remanded.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, including failing to obtain VA examinations and verify exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis may be related to his service, particularly if he was exposed to Agent Orange. His acquired psychiatric disorder is also related to service.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to May 10, 2017 and for a higher initial rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date allowable under the law is May 10, 2017, as it post-dates the onset of the Veteran's anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as they were received within one year of his separation from active service, and the effective dates cannot be earlier than August 1, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The case will be returned for further medical evaluation and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for COPD, depression, and anxiety have been dismissed due to their death.

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a neck disability, and several other conditions. The remaining claims are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, anxiety and panic attacks, diabetes mellitus type II, right shin splints, left hip disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, difficulty breathing (asthma), bilateral eye disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and chest pain have been denied due to lack of evidence showing a link between these conditions and service.,New evidence received since the last denial has not provided sufficient information to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, anxiety and panic attacks, diabetes mellitus type II, right shin splints, left hip disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, difficulty breathing (asthma), bilateral eye disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and chest pain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, left knee disability, low back disability, depression, anxiety, right ankle disability, and right knee disability have been denied. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's initial rating for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Unspecified Depressive Disorder was granted at a 50% disability rating as of October 23, 2019. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for acquired psychiatric condition, pseudofolliculitis barbae, right big toe condition, tinnitus, and left leg condition are remanded due to the need for additional examinations focusing on conditions incurred or aggravated during the honorable period of service.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for the appellant's unspecified anxiety disorder/PTSD with cannabis use disorder, effective from April 5, 2019. The issue of entitlement to TDIU remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional VA generated evidence and overlap between symptoms of service-connected insomnia and other psychiatric disorders. An addendum opinion is needed to distinguish these symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. The VA needs to obtain a medical opinion addressing these issues.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder present during the appeal period. The Veteran's service records, post-service medical records, and assertions will be reviewed for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable disability rating are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The psychiatric claim is reopened, but further examination is needed to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to consider evidence from the original February 2006 rating decision, and the Veteran is entitled to a statement of the case regarding his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The appeal for service connection for anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and psychosis for the purpose of establishing eligibility to treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702 was dismissed as they were rendered moot by the grant of service connection for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress in a September 2023 rating decision. The appeal for sleep apnea, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic and femoral), and left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic and femoral) was granted with effective dates starting from January 6, 2021.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder, was granted as her condition is found to be due to her military service.