Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including secondary cannabis use disorder. The rating assigned is 30 percent for the thoracic spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and anxiety disability have not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for major depressive disorder, memory loss, heart disability, and sleep disorder has also been denied.,There is no service connection granted for any condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder, is related to his active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining military personnel records and VA treatment records, and for a new VA psychiatric examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for mood and anxiety disorders, right knee arthralgia, and a nerve condition on the right side of face due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for benefits under 38 C.F.R. � 3.815 and 38 C.F.R. � 3.814 as she does not have a manifestation of spina bifida, which is required to qualify for these benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression, is being remanded due to the need for a more comprehensive VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically anxiety, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The Board also noted that there is no evidence of a psychosis within one year of separation from service.

The Board has resolved reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder is granted. The issue of service connection for a bilateral knee disability remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety disorder was granted effective November 22, 2010. This is the earliest possible effective date as it is based on a reopened claim filed in November 2010.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left knee, cervical spine, psychiatric, and stomach surgery disabilities. The Board finds that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hand nerve damage was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and hypertension are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. A new VA examination is also needed to assess the current level of severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and anxiety, is related to his service in Iraq. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether this disability was incurred during active service.

The Veteran's depression is found to be secondary to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic cough was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated based on the severity of his symptoms, but further examination and opinion are needed to determine if he should be assigned a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, verifying in-service stressors, and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychological disorder, including Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, is rated at 50 percent disabling as of August 8, 2014. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired impulse control, difficulty in understanding complex commands, and impaired judgment.