Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal involves a rating for her left wrist condition and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including private treatment records and SSI disability benefits file. A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the severity of her left wrist condition and determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional evidence and provide the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be related to his in-service stressors, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are consistent with the criteria for a 50 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted a 50 percent evaluation for the combined rating of generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, as well as residuals of traumatic brain injury. The separate evaluations for these conditions have been discontinued.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and an addendum opinion from the March 2012 VA examiner to address deficiencies in the examination report.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining relevant treatment records and providing the Veteran with new VA examinations of her mental health and migraines.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and left knee disability were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability at the time of filing, and there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated as 30 percent disabling, and the Board found that this rating adequately reflects his symptoms. The Veteran was not found to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and additional development of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, PTSD, and MDD has been granted. As a result, the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders and sleep disorder, as well as verify his alleged stressors. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has decided that additional development is required due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the appellant's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 10% prior to February 25, 2017. Since then, the evaluation has been increased to 70%. The current rating reflects significant impairment in work and social functioning.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including OCD, PTSD, panic disorder without agoraphobia, and bipolar disorder, are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors or a nexus between current diagnoses and military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and stress is granted as the evidence shows that his condition was incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and coronary artery disease were evaluated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted a rating in excess of the current assigned ratings.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected acquired psychiatric disability, low back disability, or hypertension. The Veteran's conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the March 1973 rating decision that granted service connection for anxiety reaction, chronic with depression, conversion, and headaches. The January 2001 rating decision which changed the diagnostic code to PTSD under Diagnostic Code 9411 did not include a reference to headaches or assign a separate rating for them.