Anxiety Board decisions

The VA examiner found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, to his military service. The earliest documented diagnosis of a psychiatric condition was in 1996, nine years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other mental health conditions, is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA/privately obtained treatment records. A VA psychiatric examination is also required.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals for all issues, including service connection claims and an increased rating claim.

The Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder as a result of his military service and the criteria for service connection are not met.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a new VA examination, and readjudicating the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and dysthymia, was granted effective May 10, 2001. The Board found that the current rating of 30% prior to July 18, 2007 adequately reflects his symptoms.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress manifests as occupational and social impairment, resulting in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Board finds that the current rating of 30 percent is appropriate.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. However, further development is needed to determine if there is a current diagnosis of PTSD and whether it is related to military service.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected GAD with PTSD, which is more than the current 50 percent rating. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the hysterectomy claim. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, sinus disorder, and right knee disorder have been denied. The TDIU claim is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder. The issue of entitlement to service connection for heart disease is also inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and dysthymia/depression, social phobia, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence continuous, nightmares, and nicotine dependence, are not etiologically related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The rating assigned is 70 percent disabling effective June 5, 2006.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder, and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. For the lumbar spine disorder, the VA examiner concluded that the condition was less likely than not incurred in or caused by service.

The Veteran's depression has been rated at 30 percent prior to April 4, 2012 and at 70 percent thereafter. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder did not manifest during active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors related to PTSD, and the VA examiner found no diagnosis of PTSD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression mood, chronic, and migraine headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional development.