Anxiety Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder due to any incident of his active duty service and denied all other claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive neurosis with anxiety features is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied, but he is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, diagnosed as trauma related anxiety.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are etiologically related to his period of military service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder since November 12, 2008. The Veteran's symptoms include social impairment due to depression, suicidal ideation, panic attacks, impaired affect, occasional impairment of insight and judgment, and some memory impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression, are related to his alcohol and polysubstance abuse prior to and during service. As this abuse constituted willful misconduct, he is barred from establishing service connection for these diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide the necessary examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety) due to a lack of credible evidence supporting the in-service stressor allegation. The claim was reopened based on new evidence showing a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board found insufficient credible supporting evidence to corroborate the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and thus denied service connection for PTSD. The remaining psychiatric conditions were also not supported by sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depression, dysthymia, anxiety disorder, and conversion disorder, resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas but not total impairment. The VA determined that a 70 percent rating is warranted for this condition.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, previously rated at 30 percent prior to March 8, 2013, is now rated at 70 percent effective from March 8, 2013. The Veteran also meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder related to his active service, and therefore denies the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a disability incurred or aggravated during his active service, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for new VA examinations to evaluate his bilateral SNHL, bilateral foot condition, bilateral knee condition, tension headaches, back condition, and muscle and joint pain.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to make a decision on the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations for his psychiatric disorder and right foot condition.

The Board has remanded the case for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO due to the Veteran's request. The appeal is still pending and will be reconsidered after the hearing.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to the need for updated VA examinations and consideration of new evidence. The initial rating claim for PTSD remains pending, as does the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder. His tinnitus remains at a maximum rating of 10 percent, and the Board finds no basis for an increased rating. The issues of anxiety disorder NOS and discontinuity of the middle ear ossicles are remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining missing VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA psychiatric examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder NOS. The TDIU claim will also be deferred until the increased rating claim has been completed.