Anxiety decisions — 2026

The Board denied service connection for anxiety and poor memory, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service. The appellant's mental health issues were attributed to post-service factors.,Service connection was also denied for bilateral eye disabilities due to lack of in-service event or injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to corroborate these events and seek answers from relevant records repositories.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since June 24, 2022, and increased to 70% effective October 25, 2024. The Board found the symptoms warrant a higher rating.

The reduction in rating for other specified anxiety disorder from 30 to 10 percent, effective May 1, 2025 was improper and restoration of the prior 30 percent rating is granted.,The reduction of acne rating from 10 percent to zero percent was improper and restoration of the 10 percent rating is denied.,The reduction in rating for lumbosacral strain from 40 percent to 10 percent was improper and restoration of the 40 percent rating is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current anxiety disorder and his military service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the claims of service connection for constant cough, sleep apnea, and unspecified anxiety disorder. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and cervical radiculopathy. The decision is based on evidence showing that obesity, a result of immobility due to service-connected disabilities, exacerbated the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and sleep disorder with sleep pattern disturbance, has been granted due to the submission of new VA treatment records that show a current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether service-connected conditions caused obesity and contributed to the development of sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is rated at 70 percent since November 2, 2023. The rating was granted as the symptoms of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas were present.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to toxic exposures in service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a bladder disability are denied.

The Veteran's TBI and anxiety disorder are granted with separate ratings. The effective date for service connection is June 29, 2018.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at a maximum of 100 percent since February 2020, and the Board denied extensions beyond April 1, 2020 and November 1, 2020. The TDIU issue is dismissed as moot due to the existing 100% rating.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression and traumatic brain injury is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the July 2020 decision. The rating for headaches secondary to PTSD remains denied.

The Board has denied service connection for anxiety, depression, and PTSD as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including mental health conditions and hearing loss, did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD (also claimed as anxiety, depression) because new evidence submitted after the January 2025 rating decision was not relevant to his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety and back disability were not incurred or aggravated during his active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a conclusion that he was unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.