The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the evidence did not show a relationship between the veteran's current conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner in September 2007 indicated that there was no relationship between the veteran's psychological disorders and his military experience. The diagnoses of PTSD were not in accordance with DSM-IV, and the examiners who specifically considered the criteria from DSM-IV indicated that the veteran does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder, panic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2008
- Citation
- 0814974
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Dismissed
The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for panic disorder, OSA, and hypertension as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for diabetes mellitus was denied.
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