Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, specifically addressing secondary and aggravation theories. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are believed to be contributing factors.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected major depressive disorder with anxiety.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, major depression, and PTSD. The issue of service connection for a bilateral ankle disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including as secondary to service-connected left wrist disorder, due to insufficient evidence on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's condition. The case will be reviewed with additional medical opinions considering all theories of entitlement.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his May 2016 substantive appeal was not timely filed, as it came in over 100 days after the appeals period ended. The presumption of regularity in mailing the SOC has not been rebutted.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety NOS, and MDD. The Board finds that additional development is necessary due to the need to verify a specific in-service stressor and obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was rated at 50 percent prior to July 2, 2018. The Board denied a higher rating and TDIU due to the lack of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding whether they are secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a disorder manifested by fatigue separate and distinct from his respiratory disorders, to include his service-connected asbestosis. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to asbestosis.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his unspecified anxiety disorder was denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 26, 2019; 30 percent from June 26, 2019 to February 9, 2021; or 50 percent after February 9, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the cervical spine with congenital stenosis, but has remanded the issues regarding an unspecified anxiety disorder and PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation between May 20, 2009 and April 2, 2010.

The Veteran is granted a disability rating of 70 percent for his service-connected anxiety disorder from July 1, 1975, through June 28, 2006. The Board found that the evidence supported this rating based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of claimed stressors and a need for further medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for psychiatric disabilities, a sleep disorder, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension as there is no evidence to support these claims. The Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected TBI is currently rated at 40 percent, effective from August 20, 2014. The rating reflects that the disability produces no greater than level 2 impairment in at least one facet of impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a psychosis having been manifest within the first post-service year and that the persuasive evidence failed to establish a present disability is etiologically related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating for anxiety disorder and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran testified that his anxiety disorder symptoms have worsened since his last VA examination, and he submitted a private psychiatric evaluation indicating total occupational and social impairment.