The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence linking the veteran's symptoms to his military service.,The cause of death determination was also denied as the VA determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a disability incurred or aggravated during service.
The deciding factor: PTSD was not established based on verified in-service stressors, and there is no evidence linking the veteran’s symptoms to his military service.,The cause of death was attributed to adverse effects of drugs, specifically morphine and opiates, which were found in the veteran's system at the time of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Fracture of the distal fibula
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2002
- Citation
- 0203785
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 0203785.
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 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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
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