Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, and ordered VA examinations to evaluate his psychiatric disabilities (including depression and anxiety) and bilateral foot disability.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder. The remaining issues of entitlement to initial compensable rating for residuals of right orbital floor fracture, left elbow disability, and right ankle disability are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation of the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including PTSD. The VA examiner is required to provide etiology opinions based on a thorough review of the claims file.

The Board has decided that the VA's decision on right ear hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety) needs to be reconsidered due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete verification of stressor events.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 26, 2015, for the grant of service connection for mental health condition, including PTSD with panic attacks, nightmare disorder, and opioid disorder is denied as he did not file a claim prior to that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI and anxiety to include depressive disorder were granted, but the effective dates are set at March 19, 2012. The appeal is denied as there is no evidence of an earlier effective date prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety and a heart condition due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran was not provided with a VA examination related to his anxiety claim, and the medical opinion regarding his heart condition is inadequate.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to verify the Veteran's in-service stressors and obtain medical opinions regarding his psychiatric, prostate cancer residuals, COPD, dementia, and sleep disorder claims. The issues have been remanded for these purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed GAD and recurrent depressive disorder are related to his active duty service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent from April 16, 2012 to August 12, 2015. The Board also granted a TDIU during this period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression is a result of his service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and increased rating for chronic lumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis due to inadequate examination reports and need for additional evidence.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a finding of pre-existing psychiatric disability, and the claims for service connection are remanded. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder) may have begun in service due to his experiences during the shipboard fire, but further clarification is needed regarding secondary service connection for sleep disorder and TDIU.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the March 2023 remand directives and has therefore ordered new VA examinations for the Veteran's claims of service connection for epilepsy, non-epilepsy seizure, respiratory disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's OSA is being remanded for a VA opinion to determine if it is related to his service-connected PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The examiner will also assess whether the OSA was aggravated by these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as cyclothymic disorder, is granted. The claim for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is denied.

The appeals seeking service connection for various conditions are dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his requests. The claim for service connection for insomnia is reopened, and hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including generalized anxiety disorder with insomnia, migraine headaches, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral conjunctivitis, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for generalized anxiety disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for back condition and gastrointestinal condition (GERD) are granted, with the latter being reopened based on new evidence.,Service connection for a back condition is established.

The Board has withdrawn the claim for left knee injury and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The remaining issues have been remanded due to outstanding records and need for further examination.