Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for OSA as secondary to adjustment disorder with anxiety must be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection for anxiety disability and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, warranting a 30 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and insomnia, is granted as service-connected. The left shoulder strain is also granted as service-connected. However, the bilateral ankle disability and left thumb disability are denied.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of the left hand is dismissed as it has already been granted. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for SMC by reason of need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including loss of use of the left hand. However, he does not meet the criteria for SMC based on housebound status.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient competent medical evidence to decide whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, is related to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 3, 2017, for the award of a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was denied. The Board found that it was not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 3, 2017.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeals for increased ratings of migraine headaches, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, and an anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder. The Board dismissed these appeals as per the Veteran's requests.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety with depression, was not incurred in or related to his military service. The claims for left knee condition, right knee injury, low back injury, and individual unemployability are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including GAD, depression, social anxiety, and insomnia disorder, has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran experienced severe stressors in-service related to his mother's terminal illness and brother's murder, which led to current mental health conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of evidence. The Board cannot proceed without these steps.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood has been rated at 70 percent, but no higher, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder as there is no current diagnosis and the Veteran's STRs are silent for complaints or treatment related to this condition.

The appeal to reduce the PTSD disability rating from 70% to 50%, and to discontinue SMC, is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for his service-connected psychiatric disorders is dismissed because it is duplicative of another pending appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The AOJ failed to obtain a VA examination that considered whether his current disability is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in her discharge from military service, meeting the criteria for basic eligibility for VA home loan benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and anxiety, as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of such conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, as it found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 50 percent for anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep impairment disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and various musculoskeletal conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence.