Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include psychiatric disabilities, headaches, a disability characterized by chest pains, and a vision disability.

The Board has determined that the VA opinion obtained is insufficient and requires further development, including a new examination to address the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his anxiety symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been granted. The claims for stomach condition, left knee disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran is currently in receipt of an initial 70 percent rating for anxiety disorder from March 31, 2009 to November 16, 2009. The Board has granted a TDIU during this period.,The Veteran's appeal also includes entitlement to SMC based on the need for aid and attendance/housebound status. This issue is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding his need for such assistance.,The Veteran's appeal also includes an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for anxiety disorder from March 31, 2009 to November 16, 2009. This issue is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions addressing his claimed conditions and their relationship to his service-connected disabilities. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and an unspecified anxiety disorder, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset in service.,Both conditions were found to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his reported in-service stressors and the need for a new VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that there have been issues with obtaining the necessary documents for the April 2017 VA examiner, and therefore the claims are being remanded to obtain these records.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new VA examination. The claims file was updated with recent treatment records, and the Veteran was asked to provide a new VA Form 21-8940 and release of medical information.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim based on muscle herniation with muscle injury, proximal aspect left thigh is denied as the impairment does not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU exclusively due to anxiety disorder with depression remains remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional evaluations and opinions regarding his service-connected conditions, including tinnitus, migraines, costochondritis, anxiety disorder, and obstructive pulmonary apnea. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is also considered due to the interrelated nature with other claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including hip disorders, leg disorders, foot disorders, anxiety disorder, colon cancer, GERD, and gout. The AOJ is instructed to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service. The Veteran served in special operations units and did not seek treatment for mental health issues during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to issues related to the Veteran's alleged stressor and his reported in-service experiences, as well as his neck disability, headache disability, and brain aneurysm.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and their relation to her active service. The Veteran needs additional medical opinions on whether her conditions preexisted service, were aggravated by service, or are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that the current symptomatology is encompassed within the diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period (1 year of separation from service). Continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's initial rating for posttraumatic stress disorder with bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, prior to October 29, 2018, was denied as his claim was part of a TDIU application. The Board remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's total disability rating for individual unemployability, prior to October 29, 2018, was referred to the Compensation Service Director for further review.

The Board has remanded the case due to discrepancies in employment history and the impact of service-connected psychiatric disability on employability. The Veteran's TDIU claim is being reconsidered.