The Board found that the veteran's dysthymia, tiredness, memory loss, and sleep problems were incurred during his active military service. The headaches and joint pains of the elbows and ankles are not considered to be related to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner diagnosed a current psychiatric disability (dysthymic disorder) that is linked to an incident in service involving adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features and alcohol dependence.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymia, tiredness, memory loss, sleep problems
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2003
- Citation
- 0304171
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,555 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0304171.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to residuals of a heat stroke, claimed as memory loss. The claims for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to a duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart disorder, and a seizure disorder. The AOJ is required to readjudicate these issues in the first instance.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal prior to a decision being made.
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