Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for a rating of 70 percent for generalized anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hair loss and memory loss are denied.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, as a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error necessitates a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal, requesting to withdraw the claim while it was in appellate status.

The Veteran's appeal regarding higher ratings for his bilateral plantar fasciitis and initial rating for his psychiatric disorder with anxious distress and unspecified anxiety disorder was dismissed. The effective dates for these awards are March 17, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for schizophrenia, an acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety and depression, and migraine headaches have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.,Service connection has not been established for any of the conditions due to lack of credible historical information.

Service connection for anxiety and depression is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, plantar fasciitis, and pseudofolliculitis barbae is denied.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are less severe than those associated with a 50% rating.

The Board has found that the appellant does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, including for heart conditions, acquired psychiatric disorders (anxiety and depression), hypertension, cervical spine condition, bilateral shoulder conditions, elbow conditions, wrist conditions, hip conditions, knee conditions, ankle conditions, or foot conditions. The claims are being remanded to obtain appropriate medical examinations and opinions.,The Board has found that the appellant does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, including for heart conditions, acquired psychiatric disorders (anxiety and depression), hypertension, cervical spine condition, bilateral shoulder conditions, elbow conditions, wrist conditions, hip conditions, knee conditions, ankle conditions, or foot conditions. The claims are being remanded to obtain appropriate medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia disorder, and major depressive disorder have been evaluated at 30 percent disabling.,The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus has been evaluated at 30 percent disabling.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder, finding it as likely as not incurred in service based on treatment records showing depressive episodes during active duty.

The Veteran's depression and anxiety are granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus. The claim for headaches is remanded due to insufficient examination.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for PTSD and left wrist disability were denied as the earliest date of claim is not earlier than the dates of the respective decisions.,The Veteran filed her initial claims in December 2005 and June 7, 2002 respectively. The April 2019 and March 2017 rating decisions became final due to lack of appeal or new and material evidence within one year.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including other specified anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder, as these conditions are found to have arisen during the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of outstanding service treatment records.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed due to duty-to-assist errors, and the case is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease. His rating for lumbosacral strain and DDD remains at 20 percent, but the TDIU claim is remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted in a November 2023 rating decision, effective May 11, 2022. The appeal for this issue is dismissed as the award has already been made.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, CFS, fibromyalgia, sleep disturbances, nightmare disorder and anxiety, as well as a compensable initial disability rating for right eye posterior vitreal detachment. The claims are remanded to obtain additional medical examination regarding foot, ankle, knee, hip, and shoulder disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an anxiety condition as there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder, and the Veteran is not competent to provide such a diagnosis.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, and insomnia, is the result of her active service. The Board granted service connection for this condition.