Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for generalized anxiety disorder and for an earlier effective date is dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in May 2022.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for TDIU as inextricably intertwined with his additional increased rating claims. The RO must readjudicate these issues and issue a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding private and VA treatment records that need to be obtained. The Veteran's claim for service connection is reopened based on new evidence, but further review is needed.

The Board found the Appellant's misconduct in service was not willful and persistent, thus allowing VA benefits to be received despite his other-than-honorable discharge.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of records and inadequate VA examinations. The claims will be reviewed again after obtaining all relevant medical records and scheduling new examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for anxiety and mood swings, PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, heart disorder, erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sinusitis and rhinitis, right eye cataracts, left eye cataracts, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The Board found no in-service psychological injury or event leading to the current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, should be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The claim will be reconsidered with additional evidence provided.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current anxiety and his military service.

The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by damage to the Veteran's chest, an anxiety disorder, a panic disorder, and PTSD. The VA will now attempt to obtain inpatient treatment records from Wiesbaden, Germany, and Ft. Stewart, Georgia, as well as provide appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these claims.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder, are related to in-service personal assault. Service connection is granted for these conditions. The claim for TMJ service connection is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issue remains pending as it has not been determined whether the inservice concussion was due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issue remains pending as it has not been determined whether the inservice concussion was due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder was granted a 100% rating effective August 4, 2022. The appeal for TDIU is considered moot due to the grant of a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the claim for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder must be readjudicated based on the RO's failure to initially adjudicate the issue. The AOJ is asked to adjudicate the merits of the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent evaluation for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus was denied as the disability is already at its maximum schedular rating.,Service connection for schizoid personality disorder with antisocial traits (claimed as anxiety condition) was also denied due to lack of a current diagnosis and no evidence of service connection.

The claims for service connection for bilateral claw foot, acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as general anxiety and dysthymic disorder), diabetes mellitus, type II, prostate cancer, right knee replacement, and strokes have all been dismissed.,The Veteran's right knee disability was not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral foot disability, and acne with keloid scarring, upper back and shoulders have been granted. The claim for increased rating for acne has also been granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for anxiety disorder was granted, but with a limitation to the period prior to June 21, 2023. The Board found that his symptoms more closely approximated a 70 percent disability rating at all times on appeal.,The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for low back disability remains pending and is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and specified anxiety disorder. The decision is pending further examination and review of records.