The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service. The Board found that the Veteran has a personality disorder and substance abuse disorder which are not compensable under VA law.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be granted for personality disorders or substance abuse disorders as they are not diseases or injuries for VA compensation purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- polysubstance dependence, antisocial personality disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2011
- Citation
- 1142632
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 1142632.
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 Veteran's claim of entitlement to a higher rating for his anxiety disorder is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion. The effective date for service connection remains denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for antisocial personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and cannabis and alcohol use disorders (claimed as PTSD) was denied. The March 2019 rating decision granted service connection for PTSD with depressive symptoms and a history of intermittent explosive disorder, but the appeal is still pending on other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders to his military service. The case will be sent back for further examination and opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and antisocial personality disorder, as it was directly related to the Veteran's military service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.