Anxiety decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance is being remanded due to conflicting evidence in the record regarding his ability to perform self-care activities. The Board requires clarification of which disabilities affect his daily living needs.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and erectile dysfunction due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's lay statements and VA examination reports are considered in forming a new opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a vision disorder, a back disorder, a right knee disorder, a left knee disorder, and a bilateral foot disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, assigning a 30 percent rating effective February 22, 2025.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, left shoulder disability, and right wrist disability due to incomplete evidence and need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of a TBI, vertigo and dizziness, and migraine headaches have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral pes planus and acquired psychological disability (generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder) is being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and erectile dysfunction (ED) as secondary to his acquired psychiatric disorder are both granted. The Board found that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced in favor of a link between the Veteran's anxiety and panic disorders, which began during service, and his current conditions.

The Veteran's service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds the claim for secondary service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as somatic symptom disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, and/or depression) to be remanded due to a lack of a nexus opinion.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, including fibromyalgia, depressive disorder with anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse disorder, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, left knee ligament tear with degenerative arthritis, lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease of hips and great toes, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

An effective date of February 10, 2018, and no earlier, for the award of a 70 percent rating for TBI residuals to include vertigo and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by her military service.

The appeal of the proposed reduction from a 70 percent to 30 percent disability rating for unspecified anxiety disorder is dismissed. The Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for left knee disability and entitlement to service connection for TBI are remanded.

The Veteran's anxiety condition is granted a 50 percent rating, while his bilateral plantar fasciitis, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, left hip strain, and right hip strain are all denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent. The left knee strain was also denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his service-connected PTSD with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder with cocaine use disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as it did not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current respiratory disability and is therefore denied service connection for this condition. The mental health and GERD claims are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected PTSD with anxiety and major depression has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's appeal seeking an effective date of May 11, 2017 for the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD, major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder is dismissed as moot. The appeal also seeks basic eligibility to dependents' educational assistance based on permanent and total disability status, which is also dismissed.

The Board has granted readjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for alcohol use disorder. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and alcohol use disorder are being remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for anxiety and PTSD, so the Board has dismissed these issues.

The Veteran's initial rating for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, cannabis use disorder is denied. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to all service-connected conditions is granted.