The Board denied service connection for dysthymic disorder and cognitive disorder, finding that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and there is no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor. The claim was decided on the merits as a direct service connection case.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claimed conditions were found to be unrelated to his military service due to lack of credible supporting evidence for an in-service stressor related to PTSD, and because he did not engage in combat with the enemy.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymic disorder, cognitive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2010
- Citation
- 1005691
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1005691.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder, anxiety disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, and dyslexia have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an increased rating of 70 percent for dysthymic disorder and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability, effective July 31, 2008.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the proposed reduction of the disability rating for cognitive disorder, adjustment disorder, and insomnia is dismissed because there has been no adverse action taken.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and a separate rating due to insufficient evidence and need for further development.
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