Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for an anxiety disorder since October 24, 2016, and for TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to March 11, 2014, was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder. Service connection is remanded for heart murmur and adenopathy.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and depression as there is no probative evidence that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service. The claim for bipolar disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is denied for increased ratings, with the exception of a TDIU granted effective October 2, 2014. The appeal was previously remanded and the Board has not considered additional evidence added after the Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. Service connection for hypertension (HTN) is granted and the appeal is remanded for further examination to determine if service connection should be granted for bilateral foot, knee, neck, or right shoulder disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The effective date is June 27, 2022.

The Board has found that the most recent VA examination is inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to determine all psychiatric diagnoses present during the period on appeal and their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including anxiety and stress disorder, was granted. Service connection is also established for a cervical spine disability.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss remains denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand are granted as secondary to his service-connected right hand condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, depressive disorder, and secondary polysubstance use disorder is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated at 30 percent, but the Board granted a 50 percent rating based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with schizophrenia, cannabis use disorder, bipolar disorder, and unspecified anxiety disorder was granted effective December 20, 2022. The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a generalized anxiety disorder is denied as it is considered part of his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 70 percent rating, but no higher. His bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a predecisional duty to assist error, requiring an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for recurrent insomnia, left and right knee disabilities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that an increased evaluation in excess of 70 percent is not warranted. The Veteran's impairment of the knee (right) is currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his June 2022 VA Form 9 was not timely filed, more than one year after the original rating decision and more than 60 days after the SOC.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder and acquired schizophrenia (but not posttraumatic stress disorder), is rated at a 30 percent level. This rating is effective as of August 2023.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder, right shoulder degenerative joint disease, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal degenerative disc disease, vertigo associated with mild TBI, and shin splints status post stress fracture, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, has been reopened and granted. The claims for a compensable disability rating for the residual(s) of amputation of the left ring finger and initial compensable evaluation for scarring of the left ring finger are remanded.