Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for a malignant neoplasm, left breast, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, were denied as the evidence did not establish that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (asbestosis, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, status post right inguinal hernia repair, anxiety reaction, and lumbar spine scar) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder, is granted. The Board also found that the Veteran's claim for increased rating for post left thumb laceration disability should be remanded.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD and diabetes mellitus type 2 due to herbicide exposure has been reopened, and service connection is granted. The appeal is denied as the evidence does not establish a link between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to higher ratings for peripheral neuropathy and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions in previous examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for pulmonary embolism has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder, a generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of status post right knee arthroscopy has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis from April 4, 2017, has been dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for an increased disability rating for anxiety disorder during a live videoconference hearing.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete information and need for further examination. The Veteran's dates of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA must be verified, and additional examinations are needed.

The Veteran's anxiety and depression warrant a 50 percent disability rating from the time service connection was granted.,As of January 11, 2017, the Veteran’s disability picture associated with his anxiety and depression warranted a 70 percent disability rating.,The Veteran is entitled to TDIU as of January 11, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected right knee disabilities, including back and left knee conditions. The Board has determined that further examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD and anxiety disorder are found to be related to his military service, specifically his deployment in Vietnam. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's initial ratings for diabetes mellitus type II and post-traumatic stress disorder with depression and anxiety have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for an SSOC considering all evidence of record, including his Vocational Rehabilitation folder.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder because the Veteran did not file a Notice of Disagreement regarding the assigned rating.

The petition to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for depression and anxiety reaction is granted. Entitlement to service connection for PTSD is denied. The Veteran's lumbar fibromyositis remains rated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that there are pertinent, outstanding records that have not been obtained and reviewed. The case is REMANDED for the following actions: obtaining SSA disability records; scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of PTSD.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for adjustment disorder with anxiety was denied, as the symptoms did not warrant a higher than 30 percent rating.,Service connection for PTSD was also denied due to lack of a diagnosis in accordance with DSM criteria and insufficient stressor support.,Erectile dysfunction and sleep apnea were both remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to service-connected adjustment disorder.

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for left wrist scars, dermatitis of bilateral lower extremities, a lower abdominal muscle strain, respiratory disorder (rhinitis and sinusitis), and an acquired psychiatric condition. The Veteran's claim for service connection is pending.

The Veteran's PTSD and anxiety disorder are currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating due to their current occupational and social impairment.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence, but the case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.