Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in providing proper notice and obtaining evidence related to the Veteran's reported in-service personal assault, as well as a need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims of TBI and sleep apnea due to pre-decisional errors. Further examination is required on remand.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating since May 1, 2010. The effective date of the award was earlier than initially requested.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorder, is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified anxiety disorder and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are at least as likely as not related to his in-service stressor experiences.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, did not result in the level of impairment required for a higher rating. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Veteran's initial claim for TBI residuals was denied, and a separate noncompensable evaluation is also denied.,An effective date prior to January 31, 2018, for the award of a separate noncompensable evaluation for TBI residuals is denied.,An effective date prior to January 31, 2018, for the award of a 100 percent evaluation for MDD with anxious distress, unspecified anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder in early remission, and TBI is denied.,An effective date prior to January 31, 2018, for the award of service connection for tinnitus is denied.,Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was not granted before January 31, 2018.,Special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status prior to January 31, 2018, is also denied.,The Veteran's request for a TDIU for the one-year appeal period prior to January 31, 2018, was not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and ADHD, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service. The presumption of soundness at entry into service is rebutted due to pre-existing conditions aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no current diagnosis of a mental health condition and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating due to occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.,The Veteran's headaches are currently noncompensable. The evidence does not show characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder, headaches, and fatigue due to pre-existing conditions. The cases are being returned for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is secondary to his service-connected Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood. The VA needs to provide a new opinion addressing causation and aggravation.

The Board has decided that service connection should be granted for anxiety and tinnitus, but the decision is not final because VA needs to obtain private medical records related to these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining private mental health treatment records and arranging a VA examination.

The appeals of the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities and PTSD have been dismissed.,An increased rating for a low back disability has been denied.

The Veteran was awarded SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person effective September 17, 2018. The Board found that it was factually ascertainable that he required this benefit more than one year prior to the filing of his intent to file a claim.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, MDD, and GAD based on the Veteran's credible in-service stressor related to his experience during military service in Okinawa, Japan. The decision is based on a finding that there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and anxiety, is related to service. However, there is no evidence of a current hip disability for which service connection can be granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, granted service connection for left knee pain (left knee disability), and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, anxiety, and sleeping problems.

The appeal for readjudication of previously denied claims related to hypertension, heart disability, GERD, peripheral neuropathy, PTSD with anxiety and depression, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory disorder are dismissed as they were already addressed in a December 2023 Board decision.