Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's condition was related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder is dismissed because a separate legacy system appeal already exists for the same issue.

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The Veteran's MDD and GAD have been granted service connection, but the rating remains at 50 percent. The effective date for this award is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error prior to the September 2019 rating decision, and the need for an adequate VA examination.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for dementia and a generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The case is now remanded for further action.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder and service connection for major depressive disorder, recurrent severe without psychotic features due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, insomnia, and other impulse disorder, are related to service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal challenging the proposed rating reduction from 70 percent to 30 percent for service-connected chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a disability rating greater than 60 percent effective from July 22, 2020, for status-post right total knee replacement with osteoarthritis is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error in prior examinations and insufficient opinions regarding secondary service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's anxiety disorder is not found to be aggravated by his obesity, which may contribute to his sleep apnea.

The Board has denied service connection for depression, anxiety, erectile dysfunction, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis as there is no probative medical evidence that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal seeking an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and an effective date earlier than January 30, 2019, for the award of service connection for PTSD has been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to duty-to-assist errors and regulatory requirements under the PACT Act. The Veteran's mental health, lumbar spine, and sleep apnea conditions are being reviewed.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted a rating of 20 percent, PTSD, MDD, and GAD are granted service connection, and sleep apnea is also granted. The right leg (knee), neck, and right ankle disorders remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for service-connected anxiety disorder was dismissed due to her withdrawal of the claim during a hearing. The TDIU claim was also denied as there is no evidence showing she is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and need for further medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and requires a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The appeal for service connection of mental health conditions including PTSD, depression, and anxiety is dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.