Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board dismissed the appeal of a proposed reduction in the Veteran's rating for recurrent severe PTSD with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder because it was not an adjudicative decision that could be appealed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss and mental health conditions, including PTSD and GAD, have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had a current disability (hearing loss and mental health conditions), in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury (noise exposure and stressors), and causal relationship between the current disabilities and in-service diseases or injuries.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a shoulder disorder, neck disorder, hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence showing in-service events or injuries.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information in the VA opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including his mood disorder. The AOJ will obtain a new medical opinion and consider all relevant evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of recent mental health treatment records, which may affect the appellant's claim for a higher disability rating prior to April 1, 2021.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and MDD. The case will be returned for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder prior to July 11, 2022 was denied.,The Veteran's subsequent claims for increased ratings for PTSD from July 11, 2022 onwards and for the right frontal scalp scar were also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The appeal for depression and anxiety secondary to PTSD is dismissed due to the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar disability is denied because there is no competent evidence of a current disability or an in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder is also denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an eye condition and an unspecified anxiety disorder need to be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The claims will be reviewed again with new opinions provided by a psychologist or psychiatrist.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board is remanding these claims as they involve complex medical issues.,Service connection has not been established for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, or right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the verification of the Veteran's claimed stressors. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to her service-connected conditions, including a hearing loss disability and varicose veins. The Board has identified several issues for remand due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss related to service and denied her claim for this condition. The claims for service connection for depression, anxiety, drug use (acquired psychiatric disorder), and back strain are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for costochondritis and granted readjudication of her claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded to allow for further consideration.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and respiratory disabilities are denied. The respiratory claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the current opinions regarding the Veteran's insomnia and anxiety disorder are inadequate for adjudicatory purposes, necessitating a remand to obtain additional medical opinions addressing direct service connection, secondary service connection (including aggravation), and whether the Veteran's sleep disturbances or anxiety is caused by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted a 70 percent disability rating, but erectile dysfunction, hemorrhoids, and right knee scar post-surgery are denied initial compensable ratings.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for various disabilities, including unspecified anxiety disorder (also claimed as PTSD), tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and ankle/sleeve strains. The Veteran did not submit a formal or informal claim prior to March 16, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder.