Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to obtain a new examination and medical opinion to determine the etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, has been granted. The effective date of the grant is November 8, 2013, for his TBI to include memory loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and a need for further development, including obtaining relevant VA or private treatment records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being reconsidered.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and left elbow strain were denied as not related to service. The lumbosacral strain was also denied, but the claim for depression and anxiety disorders is being remanded.,Service connection for depression and anxiety disorders remains pending.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder, is related to his service and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with Generalized Anxiety Disorder is rated at 50 percent disabling, resolving all doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the rating of 40 percent for TBI with anxiety disorder is denied. The Board found that no earlier effective date was warranted as the first showing of the need for a combined rating was on the VA TBI examination conducted May 10, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for Brugada syndrome with lethal arrhythmia and anxiety disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship of these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Veteran will need to undergo further examination and obtain an adequate etiological opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder is denied. The earliest possible effective date is December 29, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury and related conditions, have resulted in a TDIU effective February 16, 2023.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for depression and anxiety due to insufficient evidence. The right elbow disorder claim remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of a pilonidal cyst and scars associated with it has been granted. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea secondary to that disorder, eczema, and low back disability have been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo is denied as he does not have this condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, major depression disorder, anxiety disorder, insomnia) is denied. The Veteran submitted opinions from private doctors stating that he has these conditions, but the Board finds their opinions outweighed by other medical evidence of record and insufficient to establish a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied as there is no in-service noise exposure documented and his STRs do not show any relevant symptoms. The VA examiner found that his diagnosed hearing loss is less likely than not related to service.,Service connection for a back disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right lower extremity nerve disorder, and left lower extremity nerve disorder are denied as the Veteran's STRs do not show any relevant symptoms. The VA examiner found that his diagnosed conditions are less likely than not related to service.,Service connection for a heart disorder (atrial fibrillation, bradycardia) is denied as there is no in-service noise exposure documented and the VA examiners found that his atrial fibrillation is at least as likely as not related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's STRs show he had a benign heart murmur at entrance to service.,Service connection for bilateral lower extremity edema (right and left) is denied as there is no in-service noise exposure documented and the VA examiners found that his diagnosed conditions are less likely than not related to service.,Service connection for hypertension prior to August 10, 2022 is denied. The Veteran's STRs show he had a benign heart murmur at entrance to service and the VA examiner found that his bradycardia is at least as likely as not related to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction prior to August 10, 2022 is denied. There is no in-service noise exposure documented and the Veteran's STRs show he had a benign heart murmur at entrance to service.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining SSA records and VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions. The issues on appeal are remanded.

The appeal seeking a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder, sleep disturbances including obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence for a left eardrum disability. The other issues are being remanded as well.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for residuals of a shrapnel injury and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no current disability related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for skin disability, anxiety disorder, low back disability, right shin splint, left shin splint, and acne. The decision found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for skin disability, and dismissed the appeal for anxiety disorder as moot due to concurrent PTSD service connection. Service connection was denied for low back disability, right shin splint, and left shin splint.