Anxiety Board decisions

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased disability ratings are being remanded to the RO for further development.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected essential tremor and lethargical encephalitis with anxiety did not cause or contribute to his death from aortic stenosis due to coronary artery disease.

The veteran's anxiety disorder was not found to be severe enough to warrant a compensable evaluation from January 7, 1998 through May 31, 2000.,Service connection for the total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy secondary to service-connected endometriosis was denied as there is no evidence of contact or correspondence with the veteran until January 7, 1998.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's psoriasis vulgaris with generalized anxiety reaction does not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent, as the condition is manifested by scattered psoriasiform plaques over various body parts and localized involvement without significant trunk involvement.

The Board has determined that a timely notice of disagreement was filed regarding the denial of service connection for a nervous disorder in June 1978. The veteran's claim is pending and will be remanded to determine if the earlier anxiety diagnoses were prodromal signs of PTSD, which could affect the effective date for service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that his service-connected anxiety disorder did not substantially or materially contribute to his death.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for anxiety reaction, manifested by fine tremor of the fingers, is being remanded due to the need for further examination and development of evidence.

The Board found that the appellant's anxiety neurosis is no more than 50 percent disabling, confirming and continuing a previous 10 percent evaluation.

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claims for hearing loss, nervous disorder, and eye disorder. As such, service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for a left knee disability and found no new and material evidence to support it. The appeal for service connection for anxiety will be addressed in a separate remand action.

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a 50 percent evaluation for his service-connected dysthymic disorder and an increased rating. The Board will review the evidence to determine if any of these claims are granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, psychosis, anxiety disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The veteran's psychiatric disability, diagnosed as an adjustment disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, has been found to be aggravated by his service-connected low back disability. This finding warrants the grant of service connection for the psychiatric disability.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected generalized anxiety disorder with dysthymia is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records from SSA.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a compensable evaluation of bipolar disorder and held that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the September 1988 rating decision. The claim for service connection for drug abuse is pending, as it requires additional development.

The VA has determined that the veteran's anxiety reaction, currently rated at 30 percent, does not warrant a higher rating due to moderate impairment in social functioning.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the veteran's service-connected low back disability and his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The veteran is seeking a higher evaluation for his service-connected hypothyroidism with hypertension, atherosclerosis, anxiety, and transient ischemic attacks. The Board has ordered additional development to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was denied due to his failure to appear for VA examinations.