The Board found that the veteran's mental disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim. The issue of arthritis of multiple joints was also denied, but the RO did not provide a rating assigned or effective date.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish a link between the claimed mental disorder and service, nor is there any indication that the veteran's arthritis had its onset during active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Mental Disorder (claimed as panic attacks, social phobia, claustrophobia, anxiety attacks and depression), Arthritis of multiple joints
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2002
- Citation
- 0213843
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0213843.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for arthritis of multiple joints, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, and urethral cancer due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's service or exposure at Camp Lejeune.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss, arthritis of multiple joints, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder have been granted. The remaining issues are denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include PTSD, depressive disorder, ALS, a blood problem presumed from herbicide exposure, and arthritis of multiple joints.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for arthritis was granted, with a 20 percent rating effective September 12, 2006.,Her claim for increased ratings for her service-connected lumbar strain and fibromyalgia was partially granted. The lumbar strain received an initial increase to 20 percent from July 22, 2013 onwards, while the fibromyalgia remained at a maximum of 40 percent.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to October 11, 2013 was denied. The effective dates for service connection were also denied for both conditions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.