Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Veteran's asthma and OSA have been granted service connection. Diabetes, CHF, high blood pressure, stroke, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder including depression and anxiety are also granted.,Service connection for diabetes type II (diabetes), congestive heart failure (CHF), high blood pressure, and stroke is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder has been granted an increased rating to 70 percent effective April 11, 2023. However, a rating in excess of 70 percent is denied.

A 70 percent rating for service-connected PTSD with GAD is granted from January 19, 2016 (but not earlier). More than a 70 percent rating for service-connected psychiatric disability is denied. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) from April 13, 2016 is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection, but the effective date is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood) is remanded due to conflicting opinions regarding its onset.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor and for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient information regarding his in-service military environmental exposures. Additional development is needed to determine if he served in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia during a specific time period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to October 4, 2022, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantial gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder and respiratory condition are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety and asthma prevented him from obtaining substantially gainful employment prior to October 18, 2016.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with the previous remand directives regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection. The case is therefore being returned to the Regional Office for further development.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and therefore the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder prior to October 25, 2017 and entitlement to TDIU prior to that date are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS with depression NOS was rated at 50 percent prior to September 13, 2022 and increased to 70 percent thereafter. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of records. The issues include hypertension, right leg disorder, left leg disorder, left ankle disorder, left hip/groin disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder.

The Veteran's chronic fatigue is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities, including unspecified anxiety disorder, restless leg syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his right shoulder disability, bilateral foot condition, sleep apnea, anxiety disorder, and left shoulder condition. The issues of rating higher than 20 percent for the right shoulder disability, service connection for a bilateral foot disability, service connection for sleep apnea, service connection for anxiety disorder as a separate condition from PTSD, and service connection for a left shoulder condition are all remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, anxiety, and insomnia, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced regarding whether these conditions are etiologically linked to the Veteran's active service or her service-connected migraine headache disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and rating due to insufficient information provided in previous examinations. The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent since December 14, 2022.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and multiple sclerosis have been reopened. The Board finds new and material evidence has been received to support these claims.