The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive episodes with psychotic features, recurrent and schizoaffective disorder and PTSD, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA did not find sufficient evidence to support a presumption of service connection based on exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War Syndrome, or other conditions.
The deciding factor: The clinical evidence does not reasonably support current diagnoses for PTSD and the veteran's psychiatric disorders were not shown to have originated in service.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive episodes with psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2002
- Citation
- 0214476
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 0214476.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, and neurocognitive disorder is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination addressing whether the pre-existing psychiatric disorder was aggravated during service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted for the claim of entitlement to TDIU, which is being remanded. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for depression, other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder with alcohol use disorder, severe, and PTSD due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA examiners.
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