Anxiety Board decisions

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

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the existence and etiology of any currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The examiner must also provide an opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, is related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's anxiety and PTSD have resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent rating since November 22, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder with anxiety, left eye postoperative cataracts, left eye corneal edema, and left mandibular cystectomy residuals, are rated at 80 percent combined. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unemployable due to their severity and impact on her ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety (also claimed as PTSD) most nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but did not more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder NOS and PTSD) warrants a 70% rating throughout the appeal period, effective September 9, 2010. The Board also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and any outstanding VA treatment records. The case will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Veteran's TBI with headaches is rated at 10 percent, and his generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 30 percent. The appeal for a higher rating for TBI with headaches was granted, while the appeals for increased ratings for both conditions and for TDIU were denied.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, is related to service or caused by his hepatitis C. The examiner will also assess whether the Veteran's depression was aggravated by his hepatitis C.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of all psychiatric diagnoses during the pendency of the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not combine to a 70 percent evaluation, nor did they meet any of the criteria that would permit VA to view them as the same disability listed in Section 4.16(a). The Board finds that the Veteran was not so disabled by reason of his service-connected disabilities that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful course of employment.

The Board finds that the Veteran's effective date for service connection of anxiety disorder should not be earlier than November 19, 2008. The January 1972 rating decision denying service connection was not appealed and no new and material evidence has been received since then.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, tinnitus, and type II diabetes mellitus. The RO also granted service connection for an anxiety disorder but assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective from November 22, 2010. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is addressed in the REMAND portion.

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

The Veteran's appeal of his claim for bilateral knee arthritis has been dismissed as he withdrew from the appeal in October 2017. The TDIU claim remains on appeal.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and records, as well as to ensure the Veteran's claims are evaluated in full consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right eye disability, including his loss of vision in the right eye, is at least as likely as not related to service. The VA examiner opined that the acquired psychiatric disorders are also related to service and stressors associated with military service.

The Board denied service connection for psychiatric disabilities, foot rash and skin disorders, right knee disability, and right arm disability as they were not incurred or aggravated during service.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability was granted a 70 percent rating effective May 12, 2015. The TDIU claim was also granted effective July 2, 2015.