Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated at 10 percent since November 2, 2007. The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30 percent rating effective from November 2, 2007.

The Board has previously granted service connection for a cognitive disorder due to head injury. The current appeal is about whether the Veteran's depression, anxiety, and dysthymic disorder are related to his in-service head injury.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, is related to active military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety and/or a schizoaffective disorder, which he asserts was caused or aggravated by his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The case is REMANDED to obtain additional medical opinion on whether any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. The Veteran's in-service counselling for nervousness may be associated with his current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to obtain unit records from Fort Hood and to provide a VA examination to determine if any psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder is etiologically related to service and grants service connection for this condition. The issue of PTSD remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder caused moderate occupational and social impairment, warranting a 30 percent rating as of August 2, 2006.

The Veteran's cause of death, a self-inflicted gunshot wound, is not considered service-connected due to the lack of evidence linking his psychiatric conditions (diagnosed as depression and anxiety) to his active duty service or his service-connected prostatitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his service and any current psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and issuing a Statement of the Case on issues related to clear and unmistakable error in rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric conditions will be evaluated to determine if they are related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and determined that new and material evidence has been received. The case is now remanded to schedule a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's adjustment reaction with anxiety and depression was rated at 50 percent prior to July 29, 2005.,From September 1, 2005 through August 23, 2010, the Veteran's psychiatric disability warranted a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder NOS and residuals of chemical burns do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, as they are rated at 30% and 0%, respectively. The VA examinations did not indicate that his disabilities preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back muscle strain, reopening his previously denied claim. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied increased disability ratings for GAD and PTSD prior to August 20, 2012 and from that date forward, respectively. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and considering whether service connection should be granted or TDIU awarded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran should be provided a new VA examination to determine if he currently has PTSD and whether any acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his active military service. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating of generalized anxiety disorder and his TDIU claim are both remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security records and VA psychiatric examination.