Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, anxiety with other mental health disorders, and depression due to the lack of current diagnoses or symptomatology in the medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and service connection for cause of death. The DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an anxiety disorder is denied.,A 10 percent evaluation, but no higher, has been granted for right thigh limitation of adduction due to right hip strain with leg length discrepancy.

The Veteran's service connection for anxiety is granted, and the initial disability rating for chronic fatigue from January 6, 2017, remains at 60 percent.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. A new VA examination is needed to assess the severity and manifestations of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in verifying the Veteran's reported stressors and a need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to November 24, 2021 is denied as he was in substantial gainful employment. From November 24, 2021, the claim is dismissed as moot due to his receipt of a combined 100% disability rating and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression unspecified, PTSD, alcohol use disorder, cannabis use disorder, and stimulant use disorder. The decision is based on the Veteran's current diagnoses and a positive nexus opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability. The claim will be reconsidered with this information.

The Board has dismissed the claim for TDIU and has remanded the service connection claims for PTSD, anxiety, and depression due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's service records do not show any diagnosed conditions related to these issues.

The Veteran's claim for a rating of 70 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, with subclinical features of PTSD (claimed as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances), is granted. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 100% rating for her psychiatric disabilities, as reducing it to 70% was improper.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, bruxism, and a disability manifested by chest pain due to outstanding private treatment records from Dr. T.M. and lack of information regarding where the Veteran was hospitalized in 2012.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left knee condition and denied service connection for this condition. The anxiety disorder evaluation is remanded due to incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been remanded due to the need for further examination or evidence in several cases. The left knee strain claim remains denied, as does all other individual conditions except for those related to service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected generalized anxiety disorder was denied by the Board. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's symptoms, while impairing, did not meet the criteria for a higher rating of 70 percent under Diagnostic Code 9400.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because she does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability, as her right hip disability alone does not qualify. The Board found that multiple of her service-connected disabilities contribute to her difficulty in maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a 100 percent rating for bipolar and generalized anxiety disorders from February 27, 2012 to April 20, 2018 is granted. The issue of total disability based on individual unemployability prior to April 20, 2018 is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his generalized anxiety disorder with insomnia (also claimed as depression) from November 8, 2007 to July 12, 2017 was denied. From December 1, 2017 to March 6, 2023, he received a 100 percent rating for this condition. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to August 21, 2012 is still pending and will be remanded.