Anxiety decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for treatment purposes only under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 for anxiety disorder, COPD, and HIV infection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, anxiety disorder with depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent effective September 7, 2024. The Board has remanded the service connection for left hand fracture and other issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the Board found no effective date earlier than September 19, 2012 for Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TBI due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of VA mental health examination or medical opinion regarding PTSD. The Veteran's statements will be considered as part of the new in-person examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's failure to timely file a Board Appeal request within one year of the rating decisions, and no good cause was shown for the delay.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for unspecified anxiety disorder was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and alcohol dependence/unspecified alcohol use disorder, are remanded for further development to determine if they are related to his active duty service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not etiologically related to his active duty service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder was granted with an effective date of August 14, 2024. The Board found that the previous denial in 1992 did not apply due to lack of notice and the Veteran's intent to file on August 14, 2024.

The Veteran's appeal for various conditions and TDIU was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 100 percent disabling, effective March 31, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of generalized anxiety disorder was denied, and the effective date for the increased rating from 50% to 70% is set at February 1, 2022. The Veteran's claim for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatica was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain missing National Guard records, including those from his time in the Alabama Army National Guard.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to address the theory of aggravation by service-connected tinnitus in the December 2024 VA medical opinion. The Veteran is seeking service connection for anxiety and depression, which he claims are aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. A new VA examination is required to determine the etiology of his PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including MDD, GAD, and AUD due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding the cause of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 70% rating for generalized anxiety disorder, with alcohol disorder and panic disorder from August 1, 2020 is granted as the reduction in evaluation was not proper due to lack of material improvement.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability evaluation for tinnitus is denied, and the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety disorder) is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder is related to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine, and thus remands the case for a VA examination.