Anxiety Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and any acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, and anxiety disorder, due to incomplete/inaccurate factual premises regarding the Veteran's claimed active duty service in Vietnam. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and an adjustment disorder) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's hearing loss was not shown to be related to service or aggravated by service, and her psychiatric disorders were found to have other origins.

The Board has determined that a timely substantive appeal was not received for the December 2016 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's representative argues that his claim should be remanded due to the failure of VA to expand the scope of the PTSD claim under Clemons v. Shinseki, but the Board finds this argument factually and legally incorrect as the appeal did not become final because the Veteran did not perfect his appeal within the required time frame.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 9400.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression, is not found to be secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence showing that the Veteran’s sleep impairment was caused by or worsened by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete information about the Veteran's service in Iraq, which may affect his claims for PTSD and TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for a pulmonary disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and anxiety. The Veteran's pulmonary disability is considered to have pre-existed service, and there was no clear and unmistakable aggravation during service. For the acquired psychiatric disability, the claim cannot be substantiated as the stressor has not been verified.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to a lack of current diagnoses and conflicting medical opinions. The Veteran was presumed exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any PTSD, including whether it is related to an in-service personal assault (MST). The examiner must also opine on the relationship between other acquired psychiatric disorders and service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was granted. The claims for heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were remanded.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for unspecified anxiety disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity warranting a higher rating.,Service connection for heart disability (to include coronary artery disease) and sleep apnea were both denied. The Board concluded that there was no evidence to support service connection based on direct, secondary, or aggravation theories of service connection.

The Board has decided that the claims for hepatitis C and acquired psychiatric disorders need further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disability, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right knee disability, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica as secondary to a left knee disability. Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression).,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation at the housebound rate is granted, effective October 22, 2013. The decision is based on his service-connected psychiatric disability and other disabilities reaching a combined total of 60 percent or greater.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pes planus, right-foot disorder, left-foot disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and migraine headaches have all been denied. The Board found that the pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders and whether they are related to his service-connected tinnitus. Additionally, the case is also remanded to determine if the Veteran has bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression was granted, with a 50% rating prior to November 1, 2019.,From November 1, 2019, the Veteran received a 70% rating for his service-connected adjustment disorder.

The Veteran's depressive disorder with anxiety was rated at 30 percent prior to October 15, 2019 and 70 percent thereafter. The appeal is remanded for further development.,Service connection for esophagus stricture, hiatal hernia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with erosive esophagitis are also remanded.