The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat during his service, and thus could not establish PTSD based on a verified in-service stressor. The heart disease was also denied as secondary to the low back disorder. For the low back disorder, the evaluation remained at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not verify the veteran's claimed stressors or combat experience, and there was no credible supporting evidence for PTSD. The heart disease was not found to be proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Heart disease, Low back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 12, 2001
- Citation
- 0100848
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0100848.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a low back disorder to correct duty to assist errors, as the previous VA examinations and opinions are inadequate.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
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