Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the VA examination did not adequately comply with the directives of the prior Board remand and thus an additional remand is necessary to determine if the Veteran's claimed stressors could have caused or aggravated his diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including an unspecified depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and PTSD, are found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's employment ended in December 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities, including anxiety and migraine headaches. The AOJ needs to complete further development regarding the Veteran's employment history before deciding on the TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to schedule a VA examination for an incarcerated veteran. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is now pending and will be reviewed with a new VA opinion.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, is granted as service-connected due to direct evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD with GAD is denied. The issues of entitlement to a higher initial rating for PTSD and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional evidence.

The Board has granted an extraschedular TDIU for the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder and sinusitis prior to June 3, 2020, finding that his disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's major depressive, anxiety, and somatoform disorders are found to be due to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 25, 2021.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for melanoma, removal of uterus and both ovaries, genital herpes, PTSD due to military sexual trauma, anxiety, and depression have been dismissed.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) has not been established.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right lower extremity knee and sciatic nerve radiculopathy, together with organic diseases such as coronary artery disease, sinusitis, and hypertension, result in the loss of use of one lower extremity and affect balance and propulsion. The Board grants entitlement to specially adapted housing but dismisses the claim for a special home adaptation grant.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including MDD, MDD with psychotic features, anxiety, cyclothymia, delusional disorder, unspecified personality disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The decision concluded that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty or to his service-connected sleep apnea.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased disability ratings in excess of 50 percent for unspecified depressive disorder with associated anxiety, and in excess of 10 percent for left and right leg patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, finding that his current mental health problems are due to military sexual trauma (MST) he endured during service. The appeal is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, residuals of head injury, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, dysthymic disorder, and anxiety), and seizure disorder. The effective dates have not been established.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is rated at 100 percent effective January 25, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for a broken right zygomatic arch, missing tooth for VA compensation, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, GAD, panic disorder, and/or PTSD), sleep disorder, facial scars, and back disability due to incomplete development of records.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development regarding the Veteran's ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is rated at 30 percent prior to June 10, 2019 and at 50 percent from that date onwards. The rating for the left ankle disability was increased to 30 percent from January 26, 2022 onwards.

The Veteran's CAD is rated at 100% effective from November 18, 2019. His acquired psychiatric disorder remains at a 70% rating.