Anxiety Board decisions

The Board finds the Veteran credible in his reports of stressful experiences during service in Greenland and concludes that there is a nexus between his reported in-service stressors and his current GAD. Service connection for GAD is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and other related conditions, is granted. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran has these diagnoses based on reported in-service stressors consistent with his military service.

The Veteran's sleep disorder and anxiety disorder are presumed to be due to his service in the Gulf War, specifically exposure to herbicides. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining employment information from his last full-time employer and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected sinusitis and its impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and hypertension are not rated higher than the current 30 percent for the periods prior to November 7, 2005, from January 1, 2006 through July 14, 2008, and from September 1, 2008 through April 10, 2009. The Veteran's depressive disorder and anxiety disorder are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary due to changes in VA regulations and the need for a comprehensive psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claim will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 9411.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, which represents the highest schedular rating available. The Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

For the period prior to September 9, 2008, the Veteran's GAD has been manifested by severely impaired ability to establish and maintain effective or favorable relationships and severely impaired ability to obtain and retain employment, as well as occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to impaired judgment and mood, suicidal ideation, intermittent irrelevant speech, near-continuous depression, impaired impulse control, and difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances. The Veteran is assigned a 70 percent disability rating for GAD prior to September 9, 2008.,For the period since September 9, 2008, the Veteran's GAD has been manifested by total occupational and social impairment. The Veteran is assigned a 100 percent disability rating for GAD since September 9, 2008.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may a psychosis be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and other mental health conditions. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported in-service stressors related to fear of hostile military activity during his time in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected HIV with anxiety and depression is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a mental disorders examination.

The Veteran is granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depressive disorders) but denied service connection for other conditions. A 30 percent disability rating was assigned for migraine headaches effective August 29, 2008.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran currently suffers from a generalized anxiety disorder, which is considered to be service-connected due to an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic anxiety disorder with nonepileptic seizures is related to his active service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, is denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and ADD, but denied service connection for hearing loss and lung disability.

The Board finds that there is competent evidence tending to establish that anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified, with sub-clinical symptoms of PTSD is related to service. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is found to be a congenital defect and the examiner opines it did not pre-exist service or increase in severity beyond natural progression.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The VA will also schedule a psychiatric examination to determine if any current acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was incurred in or is related to his service.