Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of PTSD, dysthymic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder as there is no credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is restored to a 70% rating.,Prior to January 11, 2023, the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was rated at 30%. After that date, it has been rated at 70%.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically regarding examinations for his PTSD, neck disorder, depression and anxiety, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis and lumbosacral strain, claimed as back sprain and low back strain, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, claimed as chronic major depression and stress, is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable disability rating for paradoxical vocal cord motion and service connection for an anxiety disorder have been dismissed.,A 30 percent disability rating for service-connected migraine headaches has been granted, effective December 8, 2022.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder was rated at 30% effective from January 1, 2022. The Board has granted a higher rating to 50%, effective the day after her separation from active duty service on January 1, 2022.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in not scheduling a VA psychiatric examination prior to the decision on appeal. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an anxiety disorder and depressive disorder are now pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with a rating of 70% effective from the date of receipt of the July 2022 supplemental claim, and an additional 20% was added making it a total of 90%. The attorney is eligible to receive fees based on past-due benefits awarded in this decision.

The effective date for the award of service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder is revised to May 25, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, with obsessive compulsive disorder, dissociative identity disorder, bipolar disorder and chronic depression was denied. The Board found that the disability picture did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating of 70 percent prior to June 2, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent disability rating for his depressive disorder NOS with anxiety and polysubstance abuse was denied. The claim for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to duty-to-assist errors and requests for additional service treatment records, including those related to substance abuse.

The Board has remanded the claim for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, as the prior examinations were not conducted in his home state and he was unable to attend them.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder was denied as the evidence did not show that the disability level of 70 percent was factually ascertainable prior to January 12, 2022.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder are rated at 70 percent, granting an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent. The Board also granted a TDIU from February 2, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of evidence regarding military sexual trauma and work performance issues. The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD, anxiety, and depression related to MST is being reconsidered.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria, and no extraschedular rating was granted. The Board found that the evidence did not establish he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's request to restore a 70 percent rating for her psychiatric conditions was granted.,Her claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and other service-connected disorders was denied. However, she was granted service connection for major depressive disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorder are directly related to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of such a condition and thus not meeting the threshold requirement for service connection.