Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to outstanding medical records and the need for additional examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety and depressive disorder, is found to be related to his service. His residuals of a traumatic brain injury are also found to be related to his service. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and headaches were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder (subclinical PTSD) was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including MDD, PTSD, and anxiety disorder), sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, colon polyps, bilateral hand disorder (thumb arthritis), CTS of the upper extremities, and right ear hearing loss are related to his military service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders, finding that the Veteran's claims were reopened based on new and material evidence. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying stressors and obtaining VA and private treatment records. The Veteran's service connection claim will be reconsidered after these steps.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and an addendum opinion is required. Additional VA treatment records are also needed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service and/or secondary to his service-connected primary insomnia/generalized anxiety disorder. The examiner should also consider the significance of 'REM sleep' and the Veteran's weight in their opinions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder did not result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to April 20, 2012. The evidence of record indicates that the Veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in such impairment beginning April 20, 2012. At no point during the appeal period has his service-connected anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood; total occupational and social impairment is clearly not indicated.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood with alcohol use, as well as his claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine, bilateral pes planus, alopecia areata and seborrheic dermatitis have been found to be etiologically related to his depressive disorder with anxiety. DJD of the bilateral feet is also linked to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. Right peroneal nerve radiculopathy has been determined to be associated with his lumbar spine condition.

Service connection for chronic maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis was denied as the evidence did not show a nexus to service.,Service connection for anxiety attacks with sleeping problems and memory loss has been reopened, but is still not granted due to lack of a direct link to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including recurrent major depression disorder and anxiety disorder, are found to be secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to TDIU for further development due to other pending issues, including service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The combined disability rating may be affected by these changes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to her military sexual trauma during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal due to a change in circumstances, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including psychosis, is found to be related to his active service. His sinusitis disability is granted a rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further development. The issues of increased ratings for anxiety disorder and entitlement to TDIU are inextricably intertwined.