Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer under the PACT Act, but remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea due to potential lack of evidence supporting a nexus to service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence was added to the record since the last decision and requires further consideration. The claims for service connection are being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for hernia, GERD, esophageal spasms and diverticulitis, bladder dysfunction, psoriasiform lesions, an acquired psychiatric disorder, vision problems/decreased vision, inflammatory arthritis, hammer toes and calcaneal spurs (right foot), inflammatory arthritis, hammer toes and calcaneal spurs (left foot), and a disability manifested by chest pain from appellate consideration.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to the evidence being in approximate balance regarding its onset during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder, was granted a rating of 50 percent for the period from September 1, 2016 through April 4, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues include PTSD, plantar fasciitis with arthritis, right knee arthritis, diastasis recti, right lower leg stress fracture, and left lower leg stress fracture.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service. The VA must obtain additional medical opinions and provide a rationale for their conclusions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of a compensable condition and that any symptoms are attributed to a personality disorder.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for coronary artery disease prior to July 7, 2020 is granted with a 100% evaluation.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for coronary artery disease beginning July 7, 2020 is denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders (specifically depression and anxiety) are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, sleep condition, and adjustment disorder with anxiety, to include as secondary to a service-connected disability. The Veteran's right knee disability is also remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting anxiety and panic disorder was aggravated by his military service, granting entitlement to service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled VA examinations for bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorders, including MDD with anxiety. The examinations were related to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the character of the Appellant's discharge from service for the period from June 5, 2012, to June 13, 2014, does not constitute a bar to VA benefits. However, further development is needed due to incomplete medical opinions and missed examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional private medical records from his primary care physician.

The Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is related to his active service. The Board has granted the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain a substantially gainful occupation from October 20, 2009, to December 31, 2011, and from January 1, 2013, to October 1, 2019. The Board affords the Veteran the benefit of doubt in finding that his service-connected disabilities alone resulted in unemployability during these periods.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral pes planus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, anxiety, depression, right shoulder disability, and right wrist disability are remanded due to the submission of new evidence that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims. The Board finds insufficient competent medical evidence to adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for his acquired psychiatric disorders and right shoulder and right wrist disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a seizure disorder and neurological condition (to include epilepsy, seizure disorder, or an anxiety condition) due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical opinions and an unobtained VA audiology report. The Veteran's mental health conditions are being reviewed, and a new attempt will be made to obtain his hearing loss records.