The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, coronary artery disease with hypertension (to include as secondary to PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, a skin disorder related to Agent Orange exposure, and hematuria. The reasons were that there was no credible evidence of in-service stressors supporting the diagnosis of PTSD, no causal relationship between the current heart condition and service-connected disorders, no compensable hearing loss during the first post-service year, no proof of in-service exposure to an herbicide agent for any claimed conditions, and no disability found for hematuria.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of service connection for PTSD due to lack of credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors. The heart condition was not shown to be related to service-connected disorders or secondary to PTSD. Hearing loss and hematuria were not found to be present during the first post-service year, nor did they meet the criteria for disability under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2002
- Citation
- 0204916
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 0204916.
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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