Anxiety decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The claims are being reviewed due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU due to new evidence showing worsening symptoms, including headaches, depression, and memory impairment. The Veteran needs further VA examinations and information about his employment history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for liver damage, a headache disorder (including migraine headaches), a psychiatric disability (to include anxiety and depression), and sleep apnea as these conditions are not shown to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to the need for additional examination and development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The Veteran needs a new VA examination and any relevant treatment records need to be obtained.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right leg disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, chronic alopecia areata (hair loss), anxiety disorder, headaches, respiratory condition, neurological condition, fatigue, skin condition, and weight loss. The claims are being remanded for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for sinus bradycardia, recurring bronchitis (claimed as chronic bronchitis), residuals of infiltrative keratitis in the left eye, a skin disorder, lipoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran has not provided sufficient information or evidence to establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and anxiety, as the evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD or establish that any current psychiatric disability is related to service.,The Board also denied service connection for a back disorder, finding no persuasive evidence linking any current back condition to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for status post right knee arthroscopy with residual osteoarthritis, acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood), and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination in addressing specific directives and the need for a new opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his disabilities are not so exceptional that it renders application of the regular schedular ratings impractical. Therefore, entitlement to TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's MDD has been rated at 70 percent since January 12, 2018. The Board found that the symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are commensurate with occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Board has remanded the case for two issues: 1) whether there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a June 2012 rating decision that denied service connection for pathological gambling, alcohol dependence, and anxiety disorder; and 2) entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 31, 2017 for the grant of service connection for PTSD with gambling disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder with anxiety and insomnia, and degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including her anxiety disorders and lung disease. The main reasons for the remand are to obtain additional medical records and examinations to determine the current severity of her conditions and their relationship to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and chronic sleep impairment), and insomnia are remanded due to insufficient evidence of a current disability.

The Board has denied service connection for neuropathy of the right upper extremity and remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. The case is returned for further development and an addendum opinion.