Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's depression with anxiety did not arise during service and is not otherwise related to service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of service connection.

The veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for a bladder disability, anxiety, a sinus disability, and a disorder manifested by lumps in the breasts prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran's current mental disorders are related to his service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's military service discharge was under dishonorable conditions, and thus a bar to VA benefits. The claim for new evidence to reopen this issue is denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, depressed mood since April 26, 2004. The effective date is set at that time.

The Board has determined that the veteran's generalized anxiety and panic disorder with agoraphobia is as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, granting him service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the veteran's anxiety disorder, effective from the date of this decision. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and multiple joint pain is also granted.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the veteran's claims of entitlement to SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance (A&A) of another person or housebound status, as well as an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction. These matters are being remanded to the RO via the AMC.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and evidence regarding her claimed conditions.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development and compliance with VCAA requirements, including providing proper notice regarding service connection for cause of death due to a service-connected anxiety disorder.

The VA has granted service connection for anxiety disorder and assigned a 50 percent rating, effective July 28, 2003. The veteran's anxiety disorder is manifested by frequent panic attacks, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

The veteran's request for retroactive VA disability compensation prior to 1981 is dismissed as he did not identify a specific condition and the claim cannot be construed as an application to reopen a final claim or a claim of clear and unmistakable error in such a final claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development of the record, including verifying the veteran's service in the DMZ and corroborating his reported incidents while stationed there. The VA will also schedule a VA psychiatric examination if stressors are corroborated.

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective May 3, 2005. She previously had a 30 percent rating from July 8, 2003 to May 2, 2005.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for anxiety disorder before August 21, 2003 is being remanded due to the need for additional development of records from the Houston Vet Center.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his total combined rating is only 60 percent and he does not meet the percentage standards for schedular TDIU consideration. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected postoperative residuals of herniated nucleus pulposus materially contributed to his death. Therefore, the appellant is eligible for educational benefits under Chapter 35 of Title 38, United States Code.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen a final disallowed claim for service connection for dysthymic and anxiety disorders. The claims for low back disorder, degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen final disallowed claims for migraine headaches are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of evidence, particularly regarding physical orthopedic disabilities. The veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective date are pending.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and finds that new evidence submitted since the initial denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Board also concludes that the current psychiatric disorders are not related to military service.