Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD and TDIU ratings are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The VA is required to schedule the Veteran for a new psychiatric examination to assess his current disability levels.

The Veteran's PTSD is denied, but he is granted service connection for unspecified anxiety and depressive disorders secondary to his right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bruxism, anxiety attack (claimed as a psychiatric disorder), and headaches have been granted effective from November 28, 2024.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and generalized anxiety disorder, finding that her symptoms are attributable to other diagnosed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, specifically failing to provide an adequate opinion regarding whether any diagnosed psychiatric condition is related to service. The Veteran's claim for PTSD and adjustment disorder will be further developed with a new examination.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of May 23, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is granted. The appeal for a higher initial rating for PTSD remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, as well as a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder was denied. The appeal is dismissed as the Veteran submitted his disagreement more than one year after the February 2024 decision.,The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for hypothyroidism is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and obstructive sleep apnea due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain a VA examination and medical opinion regarding whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and obstructive sleep apnea are dismissed due to a prior grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeal is remanded for further development on the issues of service connection for hypertension and GERD.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to readjudicate his claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as a right foot disability. However, these issues are being remanded due to new evidence submitted after the November 2022 rating decision.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety, is granted as service connected. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms are related to an in-service incident and resolved all doubts in his favor.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation and insufficient medical opinion to establish a link between current symptoms and service.

The Board has determined that new evidence received since the December 2018 rating decision tends to prove or disprove a matter at issue in the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability to include PTSD and anxiety. The AOJ is required to readjudicate the claim, considering all of the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for service connection of major depression disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and avoidant personality disorder was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date is February 25, 2020, as this is when the Veteran filed his intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, but no higher, effective from May 30, 2020.

The Veteran's PTSD with Generalized Anxiety Disorder has been granted service connection, and an initial rating of 70 percent for his psychiatric disability (including Major Depressive Disorder, Nightmare Disorder, and PTSD) is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service event or injury and that his current anxiety disorder is not related to his military service.

The reduction of the Veteran's bilateral pes planus rating from 30% to 10% was improper, and the 30% rating is restored. The claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the big toe bilaterally, an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety), erectile dysfunction, and headaches are remanded.