Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from the Babylon Vet Center and updated VA treatment records. The issues of entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD and anxiety disorder with social phobia effective February 26, 2010, and an earlier effective date for TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including consideration of new evidence and an addendum opinion from the VA examiner who conducted a PTSD disability benefits questionnaire.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, scheduling a VA examination, and reviewing his TDIU claim in light of the increased rating claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment consistent with his education, training, and work experience as of January 1, 2008.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board has determined that the anxiety disorder NOS with PTSD warrants a 30 percent disability rating prior to June 22, 2012, and no higher. From June 22, 2012, the Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS with PTSD warrants a maximum of a 30 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD has been denied as there is no current medical diagnosis of PTSD and the Board finds that the Veteran did not meet the DSM criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for malignant carcinoid syndrome, claimed as colon cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depressive disorder. The evidence received since the prior final denial is not new or material.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder began during his military service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and for further development of the claims, including a new VA examination for anxiety disorder with panic attacks and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records related to Parkinson's disease and any SSA records. An addendum opinion from the October 2016 VA examiner will be obtained regarding the etiology of his alcohol and cocaine abuse disorders. A VA psychiatric examination will also be conducted to consider the severity of all service-connected psychiatric disabilities in determining whether they impact substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent since January 12, 2010. The issue of TDIU prior to that date is moot due to the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, stress disorder, and personality disorder as there are no current diagnoses upon which to base these claims.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition. The claim for service connection for basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the left tonsil was also denied due to lack of in-service exposure or a link to service-connected lung cancer.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety neurosis with an effective date of February 7, 1980. The issue of entitlement to a higher initial rating and TDIU remains on appeal.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and has determined that new evidence supports a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as secondary to his service-connected residuals of circumcision surgery. His anxiety disorder with major depression is rated at 100% since December 1, 2006.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders are related to his mother's death and identifying her body during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety, and sleep apnea were denied as he did not have these conditions during the appeal period. The claim for TDIU was also denied due to lack of any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disability for treatment purposes has been reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to in-service exposure to radiation. The Veteran is assigned a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 30 percent disabling, which is the maximum schedular rating available.,Service connection for a generalized anxiety disorder was granted effective February 4, 2010.