Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations and outstanding treatment records. The Veteran is also being asked to provide releases for any correctional facilities where he was incarcerated, as these records may contain relevant information.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, GERD, and a right middle finger condition due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be related to his active service.,Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (unspecified depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified mood disorder).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence suggesting possible service connection, and for a VA psychiatric examination to confirm diagnoses and determine etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for pneumonia, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and hemorrhoids have been dismissed. The appeal to reopen his psychiatric disorder claim has been granted. The remaining claims are remanded due to new evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. An addendum opinion is needed from a qualified examiner.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD, depression and anxiety is granted. For the period since September 19, 2022, a disability rating of 40 percent for left lower extremity varicose veins is granted.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were not causally related to his military service and that there was no credible evidence corroborating his claimed in-service stressor.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for his psychiatric condition, specifically anxiety disorder and other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder, was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on several of his claims, including bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board also granted service connection for bilateral pes planus but denied service connection for hyperhidrosis and convulsive tic as secondary to a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 50% from December 4, 2016 to January 22, 2020. The rating for the condition will remain at 50% thereafter.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including anxiety and depression, neck disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, back disability, vertigo, sleeping disorder (including sleep apnea), and Meniere's syndrome. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain records from University of Western States chiropractic school in Portland, Oregon.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 100 percent, and he meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, there is no evidence that any single service-connected condition prevents him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. Additional development is needed to obtain relevant records and provide an adequate opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal of the claim for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed. The Board also remanded several other claims, including those for an acquired psychiatric disorder and various musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as an unspecified depressive and anxiety disorders with an alcohol use disorder, is rated at 50 percent since October 19, 2017. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to insufficient occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's initial rating for left shoulder disability with degenerative arthritis is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's initial rating for MDD with generalized anxiety disorder is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher than 50 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and anxiety. The Veteran was diagnosed with bilateral pes planus and hallux valgus, which were already service-connected. The VA is required to obtain an examination for an expert opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to July 27, 2017 for service connection of PTSD and TDIU. The claims are being remanded due to procedural errors in notifying the Veteran's representative and incomplete medical records.