Anxiety decisions — 2023

The appeal for severance of service connection for Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depression is granted. The appeal for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and clarification of the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses, as well as opinions on whether any current disabilities are related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including right and left ear hearing loss, a left ankle disorder, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, a right hip disorder, a left elbow disorder, headaches, and anxiety. The appeals were based on the Veteran's contention that these conditions are related to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to a procedural defect in the docketing of their appeal under the AMA, and they need to provide VA treatment records from the Austin Vet Center.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to March 21, 2020, and a higher initial disability rating for his service-connected GAD with depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder due to procedural errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's reported in-service stressor and a need for a VA examination to determine if her current psychiatric diagnoses are related to her service, including her alleged sexual assault.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, and further development is required.

The Veteran's claims for cysts in both feet, arthritis in both feet, and psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder) have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions during the pendency of the claims. Service connection has been granted for a psychiatric disorder but not for cysts or arthritis in both feet. The Veteran's low back disability and upper back disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, is related to service and the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive disorders, is granted. The Board finds the VA examiner's opinions along with Dr. A.A.'s positive nexus opinion persuasive in granting service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues of entitlement to a higher rating for right knee strain, as well as service connection for lower back condition, cervical arthritis with spondylotic changes, and left arm neuropathy are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD due to MST, delusional disorder due to MST, and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, has been reopened. The Board finds that new and material evidence supports the reopening of his claim and grants service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for acquired mental health disability, including PTSD and depression. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service stressors have been accepted as credible evidence, and there is a competent medical opinion linking his anxiety disorder to military sexual trauma experienced during service.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD, has been reopened. The Board finds that new evidence received since the final June 2016 rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim. However, further development is needed as the location of his deployment in Afghanistan is unclear, and VA examinations are required to determine the nature and etiology of his left ankle disability, sleep apnea, and service-connected left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder and anxiety are currently rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum rating available. The Board found that her symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of such conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and his back disorder is found to be related to his active service. Service connection has also been granted for left lower extremity sciatica secondary to the back disorder.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood caused occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The disability is not total but causes significant impairment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with Adjustment Disorder and Anxiety (also claimed as depression), finding that her current diagnoses are related to her in-service domestic violence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his current psychiatric conditions are not related to his active service or any service-connected disability.