Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted as service-connected.,Service connection is denied for the Veteran's left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining prison medical records. The Veteran's claim for PTSD due to military sexual trauma is also on hold.

The Veteran's headache disorder, psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder due to another medical condition and unspecified anxiety), obstructive sleep apnea, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, and skin disorder are all granted. However, the Veteran's service connection claims for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, a right ankle disorder, and a skin disorder remain denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service injury. Service connection was not established for the psychiatric disorders as secondary to the lumbar spine disability.

The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder with anxiety, is granted. The claim for TDIU prior to January 25, 2017, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, which are not service-connected.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, characterized by depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, sleep impairment, and avoidance behaviors, has been granted a 50 percent rating prior to January 2, 2020. As of January 2, 2020, the rating remains at 50 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, anxiety and depression. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder). The VA examiner found that there is no evidence of a pathophysiological relationship between the two conditions, and thus concluded that the Veteran’s sleep apnea is not due to or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder was granted with an effective date of October 16, 1972. This decision overturns a previous denial in November 1967.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bladder condition, depression and anxiety, and sprained right ankle are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The VA will readjudicate these claims with consideration of the new evidence.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for PTSD. The appeals to reopen service connection for sinusitis with headaches, allergic rhinitis, and anemia were granted. Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and anxiety).

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as PTSD, major depressive disorder, mood disorder, bipolar II disorder, anxiety disorder, and other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, based on the Veteran's reported military sexual trauma during her active service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decreases in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, warranting a 10% rating prior to November 28, 2018. A 30% rating was granted beginning from that date.,For the period before April 11, 2016, the Veteran's right ankle sprain with degenerative joint disease resulted in occupational and social impairment warranting a 10% rating. For the period after April 11, 2016, his condition warranted a 20% rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, verify the alleged stressor, and provide a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings on multiple scars of the left thigh/leg, knee, and left heel with keratosis are remanded due to insufficient examination findings.,The Veteran's claims for residuals of left femur fracture and right femur fracture require a new VA examination as per Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, specifically PTSD. The Veteran was not diagnosed with PTSD during the examination and the examiner did not apply the proper standard to determine if his stressor met criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS and depressive disorder NOS resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to April 2, 2014. From April 2, 2014, the disability resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased evaluations assigned for anxiety disorder and thoracic spine disability, as these matters have not been addressed in a higher-level review decision.