Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support the conclusion that his current psychiatric disabilities are related to his in-service symptoms and actions.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as unspecified anxiety disorder, on a secondary basis due to the Veteran's service-connected back and lower extremity disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD due to Military Sexual Trauma, are related to her military service and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and anxiety due to a lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred. The claim for anxiety is remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion addressing the causal nexus between the Veteran's service and his anxiety condition.

The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral shin splints, and kidney stones have been denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of any acquired psychiatric disorder or bilateral shin splints at any time during the pendency of the claim. For kidney stones, the evidence did not show their onset in service or be related to a disease or injury incurred in service.,The Veteran reported symptoms such as anxiety and shin splints while in service but no formal diagnoses were made. Post-service treatment records also lacked relevant findings. The Board concluded that there was insufficient evidence linking any current conditions to military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for anxiety disorder was denied, as the evidence did not support an increase in disability beyond the current 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The service connection claim for a back disability as secondary to his bilateral knee disabilities is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, chronic with unspecified trauma and stressors related disorder is denied. The current evaluation remains at 30 percent from June 14, 2022.

The Veteran's TBI symptoms are sufficiently distinct from his unspecified anxiety disorder, and he is granted a separate disability rating of 10 percent for the period from September 27, 2019 to September 25, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for OSA, unspecified anxiety disorder, ED, migraine headaches, seizure disorder, fatigue, and sleep disturbance.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to service connection for various conditions, with some issues being remanded and others having their decisions left pending further development.,No effective date earlier than May 25, 2021 was granted for the adjustment disorder with anxiety.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal of the July 1980 rating decision, finding that it did not commit an error in failing to adjudicate a claim for service connection for 'delayed stress reaction.' The July 1980 rating decision was found to be final and correct as applied at the time.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for MDD with generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks was denied, as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 100% rating. The claim for TDIU prior to September 2020 was also denied due to the presence of other service-connected disabilities that allowed him to maintain employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, and further development is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including persistent depressive disorder and other specified anxiety disorder, is at least as likely as not related to his traumatic experiences in the Navy. As a result, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD was granted with an effective date prior to June 15, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, major depression, and anxiety was denied because no new and relevant evidence had been submitted since the December 2018 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including failing to obtain an updated examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's currently diagnosed psychiatric disabilities and not attempting to verify any in-service stressors.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD is granted. The appeals to reopen claims for a psychophysiological genitourinary reaction and a lower back condition are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as anxiety disorder is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to the absence of audiometric findings meeting VA criteria for hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied due to the absence of reported symptoms and conflicting medical evidence.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, left hand disability, right hand disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are all denied as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.