Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is manifested by severe depression, moderate to severe anxiety, anger, irritability, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, mood swings, feeling of worthlessness, hopelessness, affective instability, impaired short-term memory and attention, social isolation, lack of interest and motivation, suicidal gestures, and self-harming behaviors. She was granted an initial evaluation of 50 percent for major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety disorder, NOS, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The decision also addresses the issue of TDIU.

The Veteran's anxiety and depressive disorders are attributable to service, with the Board finding that they meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's death and its relationship, if any, to his service-connected disabilities. The case will be remanded for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as additional development of service connection claims for throat cancer, psychiatric disorder, and a growth on the left leg. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims file.

The Veteran is seeking compensation for adverse outcomes related to a colonoscopy and service connection for depression and anxiety as secondary to those outcomes. The case has been remanded due to the need for a Board hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety (claimed as PTSD) is currently rated at 30 percent disabling, reflecting occupational and social impairment due to occasional decrease in work efficiency.

The Board found that the Veteran's current skin disorder and acquired psychiatric disorders are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his current psychiatric disabilities and whether they are related to service or any other relevant factors.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the appellant's claims for service connection for blackouts and a psychiatric disability, including mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder. The VA will attempt to obtain relevant medical records and schedule examinations as requested.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective July 7, 2005. The Board found that the criteria for an earlier effective date were not met due to lack of evidence showing unemployability prior to this date.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, including his in-service asbestos exposure or service-connected disabilities. The cause of death listed on the death certificate was due to lung cancer and other conditions unrelated to service.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disorder other than Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression. The Board finds that these conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of his diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to exposure to acoustic trauma in service, while his hearing loss does not meet the VA criteria for a disability. His psychiatric symptoms are attributed to alcohol abuse rather than service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, adjustment disorder with missed anxiety, and depressed mood, is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder in March 2005. The Veteran did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year of the decision, so the denial became final.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD to include generalized anxiety disorder with depression is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining morning reports and unit history.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric disability attributable to his period of service, including PTSD and Anxiety Disorder NOS.