Anxiety Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability and therefore, service connection for PTSD, depressive disorder, or anxiety disorder cannot be established.

The Board has determined that the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for arterial hypertension is moot due to its grant. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, PTSD, and allergic rhinitis have all been found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD (previously diagnosed as panic disorder with agoraphobia and insomnia to include anxiety) due to sexual assault has been productive of occupational and social impairment, warranting a continuation of the 70 percent disability rating for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's initial ratings for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, and cervical muscle strain were granted. The remaining claims were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, are related to her military service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation.

The Veteran's mood disorder, not otherwise specified, with features of depression and anxiety, was manifested by symptoms that more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability. The initial rating of 50 percent has been granted effective October 16, 2008.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at the maximum 50% disability rating. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, is reopened and new evidence supports a finding that his current psychiatric condition more likely than not began in military service.

The Board is remanding the case to schedule the Veteran for a videoconference hearing regarding his claim of reopening service connection for anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder.

The Board has determined that none of the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused or contributed substantially to his death from an acute intracerebral hemorrhage due to deep vein thrombosis. The appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete record. The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, anxiety and depression, and TDIU are inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's appeal for additional vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits to support gunsmith training has been denied as the evidence does not show that further independent training is necessary for him to obtain or maintain entry level employment in his chosen area.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion to assess whether the Veteran suffered from an acquired psychiatric disorder as a result of his service and whether it caused or contributed substantially to his death.

The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for the acquired psychiatric disability, effective from April 24, 2012. The Veteran's spasmodic torticollis was rated as noncompensable. TDIU was also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records, as well as potential adjustment of his disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a grant of SMC based on this need.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. A new VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran has PTSD attributable to his confirmed in-service stressor of experiencing fires while aboard the USS Providence.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability (however diagnosed) is not related to his active service and denies the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded this case for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private treatment records, scheduling a new VA psychiatric examination, and considering the Veteran's service-connected migraines in determining whether his acquired psychiatric disorders are related to or aggravated by them.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and depression, was reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board finds that this evidence reasonably raises the possibility that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder began in service.