Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding medical records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include a traumatic brain injury is being remanded due to the need for additional development including medical examinations and consideration of his claims.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for an increased initial rating for bipolar disorder with adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood.

The Veteran's service-connected hepatitis disability is found to be the cause of his current bladder, prostate, pancreas, skin and stomach disorders.

The Veteran is seeking initial compensable ratings for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (claimed as depression), left ear hearing loss, and service connection for right ear hearing loss. He also seeks service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine as secondary to a service-connected lumbar strain and cancer of the kidneys as secondary to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran is seeking an initial compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss disability. His right ear hearing loss has worsened since his last examination in September 2010, and he seeks service connection for this condition.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine as secondary to a service-connected lumbar strain and cancer of the kidneys as secondary to herbicide exposure. He also seeks TDIU.,The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, chronic (claimed as depression) has worsened since his last examination in September 2010, and he is seeking an initial compensable rating for this condition.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability may be due to herbicide exposure during service. The examiner should determine if there is at least a 50 percent probability or greater that the Veteran has a right ear hearing loss disability as a result of active service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, which he asserts had its onset during service and is related to his service-connected lumbar strain. The examiner should provide an opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted with an effective date of October 28, 2006. The TDIU claim is denied as the unemployability is due to nonservice-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder with depressive features is rated at 50 percent effective March 6, 2000. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, are related to his active military service. The evidence supports a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive and anxiety disorders are currently rated at 50 percent from March 30, 2006 through May 25, 2011. A 100 percent rating is assigned starting on May 26, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, asthma, autoimmune disorder, and arthritis. The decision concluded that his current mental health issues are due to his own willful misconduct.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his psychiatric disability was denied. The issues of service connection for a gastrointestinal disability and TDIU were remanded.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available for this condition. The Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a 70 percent or 100 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability. The examiner should address whether the preexisting condition was clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service, or if it had onset during or as a result of service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU based on his service-connected low back disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. The issue of service connection for basal cell carcinoma remains pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed stressors are not supported by credible evidence and therefore, his PTSD is not related to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher evaluations for anxiety disorder was denied, with a final rating of 70% effective April 20, 2006.

Service connection is in effect for tinnitus and anxiety, both considered as part of the service-connected brain trauma. The Veteran's hearing loss disability remains rated at 10 percent.

The RO denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 30, 1976, for the grant of service connection for schizophrenic reaction and anxiety reaction. The decision also determined that the schizophrenia was not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to increased ratings for coronary artery disease and an acquired psychiatric disability. The Board found that the Veteran's anxiety disorder with depression did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression are currently rated at 70 percent, effective March 1, 2004.