Anxiety decisions — 2026

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of April 16, 2021 for the grants of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and a low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and persistent depressive disorder, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, depressive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), effective November 13, 2016. The decision is based on the Veteran's consistent reporting of a drowning incident during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety and alcoholism, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active duty.

A rating of 100 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder prior to and as of July 8, 2024, is granted.,A rating in excess of 50 percent for tension headaches, to include on an extraschedular basis, is denied.

The Board has restored service connection for an anxiety disorder, finding that the original grant was not clearly erroneous and that the Veteran's lay statements were sufficient to establish in-service incurrence.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that her symptoms are causally related to in-service sexual assaults and intimate partner violence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis is granted. The claims for higher ratings for migraine headaches, mitral valve prolapse, and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis, low back disability, and sciatic radicular pain of both lower extremities are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was denied. The adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is rated at 30 percent, while the left knee strain remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, generalized anxiety and major depressive disorder, DJD, and gouty arthritis, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment as of May 8, 2001. As a result, the Board has granted an earlier effective date for TDIU from that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an updated VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's motion for revision of the June 25, 2015 rating decision was denied as there was no clear and unmistakable error in assigning an effective date of April 20, 2015 for service connection of major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder. The earliest effective date is the date his claim to reopen was received.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The remand includes requesting a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and unspecified anxiety/depressive disorders, are found to be related to his service in Iraq during the Gulf War.

The Veteran's service-connected depression and anxiety do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder, GAD, cervical discogenic pain, left shoulder pain, bilateral foot pain, and left elbow pain are granted. The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for upper and lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's initial increased disability evaluation for generalized anxiety disorder with depressive disorder was granted to a 50 percent rating. The claims of service connection for tinnitus and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, back disability, and bilateral hand disabilities are being remanded to the AOJ for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder and degenerative disc disease prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment from July 8, 2020 to December 9, 2021.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for a psychiatric condition, including ADHD, depression, and anxiety.