Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for GAD from May 19, 2012. The Veteran's symptoms included frequent panic attacks with vomiting, difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, and inability to establish effective relationships.

The Board dismissed the appeals due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal before the decision was made.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, is granted as service connected. The Board also found that the Veteran's sleep apnea (OSA), headache condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, right ankle condition, right shoulder condition, and lumbar spine condition are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded all claims due to errors in the July 2021 decision, including inadequate opinions and reliance on negative evidence from the Veteran's enlistment report of medical history. The Court found that further development is needed for these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety/depression, has been denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of such conditions.,The Veteran's prostate cancer with residuals voiding dysfunction and scar is currently rated at 60 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, IBS, and hypertension due to inadequate opinions in the prior VA examination. The case is returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development regarding VA medical records from 1973 through 1975, which may potentially serve as the basis for finding clear and unmistakable error in the September 1994 rating decision. The effective date of service connection will also be reconsidered.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and low back disability are granted service connection, while the Veteran is awarded a 50% rating for his migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and need for further medical opinion regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression and anxiety.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, has been denied. The case is also remanded for a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, asthma, bronchitis, COPD, tinnitus, GERD/IBS, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment for the period on appeal. The Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, and a skin disorder due to lack of evidence supporting an in-service event or injury that caused these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 70 percent for his persistent depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder was denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for epilepsy and traumatic brain injury have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's earlier effective date claims for major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder and right knee patellofemoral syndrome have been denied.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 12, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The effective date of the award is March 22, 2018.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no earlier effective date sought or indicated by the Veteran.

The appeals seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, increased ratings for right knee limited flexion and pain, right knee instability, left knee limited flexion and pain, and left knee instability have been dismissed. The appeal seeking to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for a left ankle condition (claimed as secondary to service-connected right ankle disability), cervical arthritis, chronic anxiety disorder, and left wrist condition has been granted.

The Board has dismissed the TDIU claim as moot due to the Veteran's receipt of SMC based on his prostate cancer. The anxiety disorder is rated at 50% and no higher, with no evidence of worsening in the one-year appeal period prior to June 4, 2022.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and TDIU have been dismissed due to his request to withdraw the appeal.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The examiner must consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service stressors and their impact on his current mental health conditions.