Anxiety Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol dependence due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's overpayment of VA compensation benefits is waived due to the validity of the debt and the determination that recovery would be against equity and good conscience.

The Board has remanded the claims for examinations, medical opinions, and verification of the Veteran’s PTSD stressors due to the Veteran's no-show at scheduled appointments. The claims are now pending again.

The Board has granted service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder effective January 23, 2002. The Veteran's claim was initially filed in 2002 and the condition is considered to have manifested at that time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder with anxiety is September 17, 2015.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for limitation of flexion and abduction of her left hip are denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD related to military sexual trauma, is granted. The claims for right and left knee DJD, bilateral hearing loss, upper back and neck conditions, infertility or miscarriage are not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

A rating of 30 percent, but no more, is granted for a gall bladder condition to include irritable bowel syndrome. The claim to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for major depressive disorder is granted. Entitlement to an acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety and major depressive disorder is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for right upper nerve damage as secondary to service-connected cervical condition is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to COPD. Additional development is needed, such as obtaining medical records and a VA opinion on the nature and etiology of COPD.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy and acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressive mood) are related to his service-connected vitamin B12 deficiency, but further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's MDD with anxiety disorder was rated at 70 percent, but the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of total occupational and social impairment. The appeal is remanded for further action.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, and generalized anxiety disorder is remanded due to unverified stressors and need for further examination.,Service connection for a right thigh disability is remanded as there are no current medical records linking the condition to service.,Service connection for a right ankle disability is remanded due to pre-existing conditions that may have been aggravated by service.

The Veteran's MDD with GAD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from October 20, 2015 to November 8, 2018. From November 8, 2018, the disability manifested as more severe impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disabilities and his service. The case will be returned for further examination and a new opinion.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted a 50 percent disability evaluation, effective April 22, 2016. The increased evaluations for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's anxiety reaction is rated at 50 percent since September 23, 2005 and remains at that level. The appeal for a higher rating from October 14, 2008 to the present has been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bipolar disorder has been reopened and granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, high cholesterol, tinnitus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including bipolar disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder), and sleep disorder are all remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for anxiety disorder and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of recent VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence, if needed, and undergo VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding a current diagnosis of PTSD. The Veteran is requested to undergo a VA psychiatric examination to determine if they have an acquired psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased rating for obstructive sleep apnea, and increased ratings for his neck and back disabilities. The issues include determining whether there is a link between the Veteran's military service and any diagnosed conditions, as well as assessing the severity of his current disabilities.