Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral defective hearing and chronic tinnitus must be denied due to lack of evidence showing current disability. The case is being remanded for additional examinations and development of records, including for increased evaluations of his service-connected anxiety disorder, left knee disorder, and residuals of brain concussion (including headaches).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for adjustment disorder with anxiety, tinnitus, arterial hypertension, and status post cerebrovascular accident (CVA) as there was no evidence of a current disability or an in-service event that caused these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lung cancer, which caused his death in October 2003, was not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for chronic anxiety manifested by gastrointestinal distress, appendectomy scar, and right inguinal hernia repair scar. The appeals were decided on the merits of the service-connected conditions.

The veteran's right knee disorder is related to his service-connected left knee disability. The RO granted service connection for the right knee disorder and increased the rating from 10% to 30% effective June 19, 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including schizoid personality disorder, dysthymia (depression), and generalized anxiety disorder, are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The veteran is not entitled to payment of interest on retroactive disability compensation received for service-connected disability from September 1, 1961 to January 12, 1966.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional treatment records.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant, through his attorney, has withdrawn the appeal.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and therefore denied his claim for a TDIU.

The veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and reopening of service connection claims were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claims.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and dental disorder was denied. The decision found that the veteran did not have a current disability resulting from his military service, and thus could not establish service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for anxiety disorder and headaches, finding no new and material evidence to support reopening these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's generalized anxiety disorder warrants a rating of 70 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the surviving spouse is not entitled to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the veteran's anxiety disorder, finding that his symptoms did not meet or more closely approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 9400.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD and there is no evidence of a currently manifested acquired psychiatric disorder being related to service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Healed Left Tibia Stress Fracture were denied. The Board also noted that the issues of service connection for Parkinson's disease, claimed as right leg disorder, right foot disorder, and right arm disorder; and for sciatica of the left leg due to undiagnosed illness are REMANDED.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a separate total evaluation for anxiety reaction and additional retroactive disability compensation, effective March 1, 1989 at the 100 percent rate ($2,193 monthly). The decision also granted an effective date of February 6, 1989 for the award of a 100 percent rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal by notifying the RO that the increased rating satisfied his claim.