Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current anxiety disorder is incurred during his active duty service.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his active duty service or caused by his service-connected right knee and/or right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, arranging for a VA examination by a psychiatrist to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work, and considering all evidence in adjudicating the claim.

The Veteran is found unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus. The combined rating of these conditions meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for PTSD, for accrued benefits purposes. The Veteran's death was used to reopen his previously denied claims, but the new evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening.

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

The Board has determined that there are outstanding VA treatment records pertinent to the Veteran's claims and must be obtained. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder and TDIU are inextricably intertwined and thus, both need to be remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and providing a statement of the case regarding his bruxism claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of her claims.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied, but he is currently in receipt of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability characterized by Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Panic Attacks.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, other than a mental disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive symptoms and behaviors to include PTSD, was not manifested in service or related to his service.

The Board found that the Veteran's anxiety disorder has not resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a rating higher than 50 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with substance abuse (alcohol) and major depressive disorder is currently evaluated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depressive disorder is at least in equipoise with service connection, and therefore grants her claim for service connection as secondary to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for major depressive disorder, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed left bundle branch block is a disability for VA purposes and because of the inextricably intertwined nature of the service connection for an anxiety disorder issue. The claim will be adjudicated again after further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depression and anxiety, was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury, disease, or event that would support the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism, were not incurred in or related to his active duty service. The claim for PTSD was also denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety disorder, are found to be related to his service, specifically racially motivated attacks during active duty.