Anxiety Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance, is related to in-service military sexual trauma. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, diagnosed as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, is currently rated at 50 percent prior to February 23, 2016, and in excess of 50 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by her attorney prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, and the claim is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's death was not determined to be due to a service-connected disability, including those presumed due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to evaluate his anxiety disorder and nerve condition. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for an anxiety disorder and entitlement to service connection for a nerve condition are being addressed.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 and from January 4, 2011 to January 30, 2011 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be secondary to her service-connected PTSD, and thus she is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for GAD and PTSD, finding that his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran was assigned a 30 percent rating effective from August 22, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, verifying reported stressors, and scheduling a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorder(s) and bilateral foot disorders.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective April 12, 2010. The RO has reopened the claims for service connection for a left leg disability, dental condition, and headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anxiety, depression, and anger management disorder requires additional development of her medical records to determine if there is a link between her current diagnoses and her military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disability, along with depression and anger symptoms, is currently rated at 50 percent disabling.

The Veteran's MDD and anxiety disorder have been rated at 70 percent for the entire rating period on appeal, reflecting occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnosed PTSD and that any psychiatric disorders, including unspecified depressive disorder, are related to alcohol use disorder. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of her acquired psychiatric disorder is not supported by any timely NOD or new and material evidence submitted within one year of the April 1996 rating decision. As such, the effective date remains August 1, 2003.