Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and PTSD. The appellant's testimony supports his current diagnosis of PTSD as related to in-service military training.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability (variously classified as PTSD, depression NOS, and anxiety disorder NOS) is found to be directly related to his service in Vietnam.

The VA determined that the appellant's anxiety reaction with depression has not resulted in more than occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, warranting a rating no higher than 30 percent.

The Board found the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors less than credible and thus denied service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders. The headache claim was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his panic disorder and anxiety disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and are related to his in-service stressors. The Veteran also has been diagnosed with depressive disorder not otherwise specified and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, but these conditions do not warrant separate grants of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a psychiatric and heart condition examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depression, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran is entitled to payment or reimbursement for $140.39 in medical expenses incurred at the Ochsner Foundation Medical Center on June 30, 2009 due to a medical emergency where VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board found that the Veteran's variously diagnosed psychiatric disability was not manifested in service, and is not shown to be related to his service-connected rhinosinusitis with headaches.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and providing formal notice of the information and evidence necessary to reopen his service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 are not addressed as they are currently in an unknown status.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for anxiety reaction with somatic symptoms and left hydrocele are being remanded due to the need for further development, including scheduling VA examinations closer to his residence in Duluth, Minnesota.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no credible evidence linking the claimed right shoulder scar or respiratory disorder to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of the updated medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence showing a pre-existing condition prior to service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected anxiety disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an updated VA examination.

The Board is considering multiple issues related to service connection and effective dates for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss. The decision on these matters is mixed as some claims are granted while others are denied or have their effective dates changed.

The June 8, 1962 rating decision reducing the disability rating from 50% to 30% for anxiety reaction is found to contain clear and unmistakable error.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including anxiety disorder, vascular dementia, depression secondary to a stroke and dementia, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, and alcohol abuse in full sustained remission, were not incurred or aggravated by his active service. The VA examiner opined that it is less likely as not that these conditions were incurred during service.