Anxiety decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including failing to retrieve relevant hospital records from Fort Sill and inadequacy of the VA examiner's opinion. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, which may include PTSD, anxiety disorder, or depression.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric conditions, as there is potential association between his symptoms and military service.

The Veteran's disability rating for other specified anxiety disorder was reduced from 70 to 50 percent, effective February 1, 2020. The reduction was upheld as the evidence did not show sustained material improvement under ordinary conditions of life.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as there was no open rating issue to attach the TDIU claim, and the effective date for TDIU is set at January 16, 2024.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and other trauma- and stressor-related disorder, finding that these conditions are due to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in obtaining an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for acquired psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with psychotic features, PTSD, anxiety disorder unspecified, and insomnia unspecified are related to events he experienced during service. The Board granted the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's heart condition and acquired psychological disorder are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of her migraine headaches, syncope, dizziness, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC at the intermediate rate. The rating for left knee flexion limitation is granted, as well as instability ratings for the left knee. Tinnitus remains rated at 10 percent. Service connection claims related to a left ear condition, depressive disorder with anxiety, left shoulder impingement syndrome, and migraine headaches are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as there was no factually ascertainable increase in disability within the year prior to the receipt of his claims.,The Veteran's lumbar spine IVDS is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5243, and he seeks a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including anxiety disorder, depression, PTSD, back disorder, foot disorders, knee disorders, hip disorder, migraine headaches, hypertension, and heart disorder. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating greater than 40 percent for TBI, service connection for a bilateral foot disability, including plantar fasciitis, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, depression, and polysubstance abuse disorder. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is also remanded.

The Veteran's initial rating for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression was increased from 30% to 50%, but he is now seeking a higher initial rating. The Board denied his request, finding that the severity of his symptoms did not warrant an increase beyond 50%. He previously appealed this decision to the Court, which granted a JMPR vacating part of it.

The Veteran's symptoms in the one-year period prior to his March 8, 2023 claim did not cause a disability rating of 70% or higher. The Board denied entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 25, 2013 for the award of service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder based on new evidence submitted in October 2021.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or maintain a gainful occupation for the period from August 27, 2009, to February 27, 2020.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is granted as service-connected. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU effective December 16, 2011.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and acquired psychiatric disabilities, specifically ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder. The VA must obtain addendum opinions addressing these issues.

The Veteran is granted TDIU based on service-connected atherosclerotic heart disease from February 25, 2022 to August 2, 2022 and from September 1, 2025 onward.