Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board found that the grant of service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was clear and unmistakable error, leading to its proper severance. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service connection for anxiety and hypertension is granted. However, the rating for hypertension remains denied, and a remand is ordered to determine the appropriate rating for his lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's request to extend his delimiting date for VA educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill was denied because there is no persuasive evidence that his physical or mental disability prevented him from initiating or pursuing an education program before August 1, 2020.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous instructions and for further examination. The Veteran's claim is related to her service in the Persian Gulf War, including potential MST exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to issue an initial Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing the Veteran's submission of additional evidence, including VA treatment records from February 2015. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety disorder, is now pending and will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD related to military sexual trauma, is found to be related to his active service. His hypertension is also being examined as it may be secondary to his psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to an earlier effective date for TDIU and service connection for anxiety disorder. The issue of service connection is being referred back to the RO.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions regarding his psychiatric, neuropathy, and balance issues.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include delusional disorder, anxiety disorder, and psychotic disorder, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The VA has determined that his anxiety symptoms are already addressed by his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for an anxiety disorder separate from PTSD was denied as it is considered duplicative of the existing PTSD diagnosis.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety is granted at a 70 percent rating from September 29, 2020, to October 3, 2023. The evidence does not more nearly approximate the criteria for an initial higher than 70 percent rating.

The veteran has withdrawn the appeal for service connection for anxiety, depression, left shoulder, right ankle, and right knee.

The Veteran's claim for chronic bronchitis cough was granted. The left wrist disability, acquired psychiatric disabilities (anxiety, insomnia, short-term memory loss and lack of concentration, social adjustment disorder with anger issues), bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, vitamin D deficiency, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and skin disability (shingles) were denied. The Veteran's upper respiratory infection(s) other than chronic bronchitis was not addressed in the decision.

The appeals for service connection for depression, anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were dismissed due to untimeliness. The appeals for increased ratings of left and right hip strains are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's anxiety and MDD are now rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 28, 2021, for the award of service connection for PTSD due to personal trauma with MDD and GAD is denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to personal trauma with MDD and GAD is also denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is denied. The claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and ratings in excess of 30 percent effective February 15, 2021, for service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, but the rating for unspecified anxiety disorder with insomnia disorder remains remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychological disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, should be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was initially denied in June 2013, and he filed a supplemental claim on May 17, 2021. The Board found that the earliest effective date for service connection is May 17, 2021.