Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The VA examiners found no current diagnoses of the claimed conditions, or that they are not related to service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a current hearing loss disability under VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, finding that they are at least as likely as not proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease (CAD).

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. The evidence received after the final denial in 2007 is considered new and material as it relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent from October 11, 2011 to April 10, 2016. This rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a supplemental opinion regarding her acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD and an initial rating for PTSD.

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

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate opinions in the January 2017 VA examinations. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hand disorder, and right shoulder disorder are all being reviewed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, clearly existed prior to his service and was not aggravated by any in-service event or illness. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence showing a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service and the current condition is not related to such service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for panic disorder and allergic rhinitis were denied by the Board. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are rated under a 'direct' theory of service connection, meaning they are not based on presumptions or secondary theories.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, diagnosed as onychomycosis of the toenails and tinea pedis with possible bacterial infection, is related to service.,The Veteran has a history of COPD that began in service and is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be at least as likely as not related to her witnessing a bank robbery during active duty for training (ACDUTRA), and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric diagnoses of anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, mood disorder, and adjustment disorder are all attributable to her service-connected disabilities. The Veteran does not manifest PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) was rated at 70 percent prior to February 19, 2010. This rating is the maximum available under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination with a different examiner to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a disability rating for anxiety and depressive disorder. The Veteran is required to provide information about any relevant medical providers, obtain VA treatment records, and undergo a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since December 11, 2006. The Board found that the current symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 70 or 100 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a separate psychiatric disorder other than his service-connected PTSD, and therefore, he is denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.