Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive disorders, is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, anxiety and insomnia. The Veteran was diagnosed with these conditions during service but no in-service stressor has been verified.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for neck strain, substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder, right subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis (claimed as shoulder condition), and right hallux valgus have been denied. The current ratings are considered appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder with unspecified mood disorder prevents him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and his earnings were below the poverty threshold. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including MDD, anxiety, unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and cannabis use disorder, are found to have started during his active service and continue since. Service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are causally related to events during his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including those for an acquired psychiatric disability, insomnia, sleep apnea, migraines, GERD, and dizziness. The issues of allergic rhinitis and sinusitis have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for anxiety, including as secondary to his service-connected spondylolisthesis with degenerative arthritis and herniated disc, has been dismissed because the claim was fully granted when a personality disorder diagnosis was added to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, claimed as an acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD and depression, started in service and has continued since then. The Board finds that the evidence supports granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied because there was no prior pending claim of service connection for a psychological disorder.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU and DEA benefits was granted effective September 3, 2019. The Board denied an earlier effective date as the submission of the September 3, 2019 VA Form 21-8940 did not constitute new and relevant evidence or show continuous pursuit of the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for the low back disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, GAD, and alcohol and cannabis use disorders is granted prior to October 21, 2023. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his service noise exposure.,The Veteran's DM II was not incurred in service.,The Veteran's left foot hallux valgus (post-surgery left foot bunionectomy residuals) was not incurred in service.,The Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and problems sleeping.,The Veteran's lower back pain was not incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety condition and depression) have been dismissed. The claim for migraines was granted in a previous decision, resulting in a full grant of the benefit sought on appeal. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's disability rating for his psychiatric condition, which includes anxiety disorder, insomnia disorder, and alcohol dependence in remission, has been increased to a 70 percent rating. The decision is based on the severity of symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks more than once per week, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants an initial 70 percent disability rating effective June 18, 2018. The Board finds the evidence of record more closely approximates symptomatology supportive of a 70 percent rating from the date of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his anxiety disorder is being remanded due to the failure to obtain updated records from his private psychiatrist, Dr. J.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that her pre-existing condition was aggravated by military sexual trauma (MST) during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity sciatica are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board dismissed the claims of service connection for an anxiety disorder and arthritis in hand/finger joints as there was no case or controversy regarding these issues, and the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of arthritis.