Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete VA examinations and lack of proper exposure documentation. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various psychiatric, diabetes, sleep, and muscle spasm disorders.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of August 2, 2017, and September 18, 2017, for the Veteran's cluster and migraine headaches and acquired psychiatric disorder, respectively. The effective dates are based on factual ascertainability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The AOJ will obtain an addendum opinion from a VA clinician to address all relevant lay and medical evidence of record.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and right ankle disability. The Veteran's claims were based on his in-service exposure to deceased service members during Honor Guard duties.

The Board has decided that the cause of the Veteran's death, Parkinson's disease, is not service-connected. The issues regarding whether his major depressive disorder with anxiety and panic attacks contributed to his death are also remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and sleep disturbances due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has already adjudicated and remanded the issues of service connection for rhinitis, a penile condition, sinusitis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and an anxiety disorder). The appeal is dismissed as there are no longer any case or controversy pending before the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder but denied service connection for adjustment disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD and anxiety disorder are currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 70 percent or higher disability rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder, as the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of PTSD or a link between the in-service car accident and the Veteran's current mental health issues.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety, chronic was granted service connection as it is related to symptoms developed during his deployment in 2008.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's back disability is not service-connected, and has remanded his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety and depression due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has found that the VA Regional Office did not obtain relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records, which may be pertinent to the Veteran's claims. The appeal is being remanded to obtain these SSA records.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with bruxism was rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety is granted a 70 percent rating, effective from the date of the June 2020 rating decision. The ratings for neurogenic bladder dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease remain denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are considered, and a new examination is required to determine if he requires aid and attendance or is housebound due to his conditions.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, hearing loss, tinnitus, breathing condition, left knee and leg, right knee and leg, mental condition (depression, anxiety relationship concerns, nightmares), skin condition on legs, and swelling in feet have all been denied.,There is no indication of service connection being granted for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and polysubstance abuse disorders. The claims are remanded for additional development to obtain military personnel records, updated treatment records, and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected MDD and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment, but rather occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, increased rating for left knee limitation of flexion, and initial compensable disability rating for hypertension are remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.