Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acrophobia, anxiety, major depressive disorder, and erectile dysfunction with hypogonadism are remanded due to the need for medical examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for TDIU and DEA were denied as his service-connected conditions did not render him unemployable within the one-year lookback period prior to September 18, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of such a condition.,Service connection was granted for renal toxicity, related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder are related to in-service stressors.,The Veteran's alcohol use disorder is secondary to his service-connected PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. His pancreatitis is also secondary to his alcohol use disorder.

The Board has remanded the claim for additional development to verify in-service stressors and obtain updated VA treatment records. A VA psychiatric examination will be scheduled to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and unspecified anxiety disorder are granted service connection, while the Veteran's hernia, IBS, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded for further review.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding several conditions, including radiculopathy and anxiety disorders. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal.

The Veteran's appeal for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Agnes Hospital from February 24, 2018, through February 27, 2018, is granted due to the emergency nature of his alcohol-induced symptoms and the lack of feasibly available VA facilities.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The Veteran asserts that these conditions are related to service, but there is no evidence of any diagnosed psychiatric disabilities during service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified anxiety, was granted service connection. Left ear hearing loss and erectile dysfunction were also granted. However, the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, left knee flexion limitation, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy with radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and hypertension are denied. The rating for diabetes mellitus is not met.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, specifically to obtain her VA treatment records from June 2021 to the present and VR&E records. The rating assigned and effective date are not provided.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence, but the issue of service connection for other psychiatric conditions remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an examination regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, including whether it is related to his service-connected TMJ disability or lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including right shoulder, right knee, naval hernia, bladder incontinence, anxiety disorder, and back disability, are not service-connected as they do not have a direct causal relationship to her active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an anxiety disorder is dismissed. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and the TDIU prior to May 12, 2016 are denied.

The Board has remanded the TDIU issue for development and adjudication, as it is part of the underlying service connection claim. The case will be referred to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's unemployability primarily due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder from April 17, 2018, through August 23, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee meniscal tear was denied as the flexion limitation did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The TDIU claim was also denied due to the Veteran's service-connected conditions not preventing him from obtaining and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted the appellant's motion to vacate a previous decision, finding that service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety disorder and depressive disorder) is warranted as secondary to a service-connected disability. The weight of evidence supports that these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the cases for consideration of new and material evidence in relation to the Veteran's claims for gastritis, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attack, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate development of evidence, particularly regarding the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. The issues are now pending for further development.