The VA denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of head trauma in service and insufficient medical evidence to link his current psychiatric condition to service.
The deciding factor: The VA found that while the veteran sustained multiple head traumas during service, he did not have any complaints or treatment for a psychiatric disability in service. The current diagnosis is attributed to head injuries sustained in service, but there was no direct evidence linking these head injuries to his current psychiatric condition.
- Claimed conditions
- psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2002
- Citation
- 0217958
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 0217958.
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 remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder, back disorder, nose disorder, and sinus disorder due to inadequate VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not rated higher than noncompensable (0 percent).,Service connection for CTS of the left upper extremity and right upper extremity, restless leg syndrome of the left lower extremity, and restless leg syndrome of the right lower extremity are all denied.,Service connection for hypertension is denied.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is not service connected.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ankle, right hip, bilateral shin splints, psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), left leg, and left foot disabilities due to unresolved development needs.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, heart condition, PTSD, and TDIU due to a failure to ensure that all outstanding VA treatment records are associated with the claims file.
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