Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder, GERD, IBS, rhinitis, sinusitis, dry skin/scars, a bilateral breast condition, pulled groin, vaginitis, irregular menstruation, cervical spine condition, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, lower extremity nerve damage, ankle strain or Achilles conditions, and foot plantar fasciitis. The effective date for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder is denied prior to December 1, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder and Hepatitis B caused his obesity, which in turn caused his obstructive sleep apnea. As a result, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted.

The Veteran's GAD prior to December 19, 2016 is rated at 30 percent and denied an increased rating.,From December 19, 2016 forward, the Veteran's GAD is rated at 70 percent and denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's hepatic steatosis is currently rated as noncompensable and denied a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) did not identify a specific decision or issue with which he disagreed. The NOD was filed in October 2021, but there is no January 2021 rating decision that the Veteran could have appealed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reconsider his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety. The claim for service connection for hypertension remains denied as there is no new and relevant evidence received.

The Veteran's appeals for various disability ratings and benefits have been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 50% effective from the date of the decision, and his left shoulder strain remains at 20%. Service connection for back condition, right shin splints, and left shin splints are granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have not been readjudicated due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder including generalized anxiety disorder with persistent depressive disorder and phobic anxiety disorder, and sleep apnea are remanded as there is a duty to obtain additional medical opinions that address the onset and relationship of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia, bilateral hearing loss, right hand numbness, a psychiatric disability (to include anxiety, depression, insomnia, and short term memory loss), and bilateral gout of the feet and knees have all been denied as there is no evidence to support these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety was granted with an effective date of March 8, 2021. The Board found that the August 2019 denial of service connection was correct based on the facts known at the time and did not establish a diagnosis or nexus to active service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The case is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error regarding verification of in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error involving the lack of VA treatment records and service treatment records in the file.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder, finding that his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically unspecified anxiety disorder, is etiologically related to his military service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for her service-connected PTSD is remanded due to conflicting medical diagnoses and the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in duty to assist and insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including dysthymia, adjustment disorder with anxiety, and an anxiety disorder, are being reviewed for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since at least March 2015, and the Board has granted an earlier effective date of August 19, 2020 for this determination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions including contact dermatitis, erectile dysfunction, hypersomnolence, insomnia (also claimed as anxiety, depression, social adjustment disorder, and short-term memory loss with lack of concentration), incontinence, prostate condition, numbness of left side of face, and allergic rhinitis due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for his service-connected right foot disability from 20 to 10 percent was improper, and a 20 percent rating is restored as of September 28, 2021.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right foot disability remains pending.