Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient data regarding the Veteran's stressors and symptoms, and the need for a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder is not related to his period of active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Board hearing at the appropriate Regional Office (RO). The issues are related to reopening service connection claims and establishing eligibility for treatment.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of a right ankle injury is denied because the injury occurred while walking to and from classes as part of his vocational rehabilitation program, which was not an essential activity or function of the training.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to establish the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and their relationship to service. The Veteran will be asked to provide information about his treatment history, including any private hospitalizations or VA care providers who have treated him for a psychiatric disorder since discharge from service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD and other conditions such as anxiety disorder not otherwise specified and major depressive disorder, all resulting from his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his condition has not worsened and he has not sustained a substantial loss of independence, thus the criteria for continuation of independent living services program under Chapter 31 have not been met.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, results in total social and occupational impairment warranting a rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and readjudication.

The Veteran's combined rating is now at 70%, which includes a 50% increase for his service-connected mood disorder with anxiety. The TDIU claim will be remanded due to missing rating decisions after June 2009.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent disabling, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service, including fear of hostile military activity while serving in Vietnam.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted. Additionally, the Veteran meets criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, identifying inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations, and providing a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected anxiety disorder and whether it aggravates his nonservice-connected schizoaffective disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has resulted in total occupational impairment and near-total social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the right hand, anemia, pharyngitis, and anxiety due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and for hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, require additional development due to the need for medical opinions regarding the adequacy of reported stressors and the etiology of the conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including psychotic, anxiety, or mood disorders, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim should be remanded for further development, including a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he has PTSD related to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a complete copy of the October 2010 audiometric examination and scheduling an examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.