Anxiety Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, that can be causally linked to an event or incident in service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination and corroboration of stressors. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is pending.

The Veteran is found to have PTSD and an anxiety disorder, both of which are presumed due to service. The skin condition claim was not addressed as it did not involve a presumptive exposure basis.

The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by total occupational and social impairment from December 10, 2007, to December 17, 2007. From December 18, 2007, to January 30, 2009, the disability was manifested by flattened affect, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective social relationships.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to combat experiences in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and insomnia, was aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, as well as his claims for increased ratings for a left shoulder scar and arthritis of the left shoulder due to shrapnel wound with retained foreign body are all granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the current diagnosis or diagnoses of his claimed condition(s) and their relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation as they are consistent with the current 50 percent rating.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with PTSD features is characterized by occupational and social impairment, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of a left hand scar, reopening of migraine headaches and PTSD service connection claims have all been denied. The acquired psychiatric disability claim has not been addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to verify the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor event and determine if it occurred. The Veteran contends he witnessed a fellow soldier accidentally kill himself, but there is no evidence of such an incident during his service at Camp Pendleton.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic psychiatric disorder in service or during the separation examination. The Veteran's symptoms did not continue after service, and there is insufficient continuity to establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran has right foot fungus or psychiatric disorder that was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of whether new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, ulcer disorder, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorder to include gastritis, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss, low back disorder, hypertension, muscle disorder, bilateral lower extremity disorder to include peripheral vascular disease and swelling, potassium deficiency, joint disorder, GERD, gallbladder disorder, bladder cancer, respiratory disorder to include asthma, chronic airway obstruction, shortness of breath, chest pain, and allergic disorder, headache disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder to include dysthymia, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic attacks.,The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of whether new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his claims of entitlement to service connection for a chronic gastrointestinal disorder to include gastritis, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss, low back disorder, hypertension, muscle disorder, bilateral lower extremity disorder to include peripheral vascular disease and swelling, potassium deficiency, joint disorder, GERD, gallbladder disorder, bladder cancer, respiratory disorder to include asthma, chronic airway obstruction, shortness of breath, chest pain, and allergic disorder, headache disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder to include dysthymia, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic attacks.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include anxiety and depression. However, the evidence does not support granting this reopened claim on the merits. The Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability is not related to active service. There is no competent evidence showing that the Veteran currently experiences a skin cancer due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, as well as a new orthopedic examination. The TDIU claim has also been raised and must be adjudicated.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnoses of depression and anxiety are not related to his active service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with features of PTSD and depressive features is currently rated at 50 percent, effective May 30, 2008. The VA determined that the symptoms are comparable to reduced reliability and productivity.