The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disability, such as PTSD, or any other psychiatric condition. The evidence does not support his claim of an in-service sexual assault leading to PTSD. For bilateral hip and left knee disabilities, there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's reported stressor for PTSD was not corroborated by the medical evidence, and he did not engage in combat or have a fear of hostile military activity. The lack of documented treatment for psychiatric issues during service and his denial on recent screening further support the conclusion that no current disability is related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), Bilateral hip disability, Left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2013
- Citation
- 1317096
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 1317096.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim for bilateral knee disabilities and his right and left knee scars have been granted. He is now rated at a combined 60% disability rating from June 1, 2018 based on bilateral factors for his bilateral knee disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's entitlement to higher level of SMC at the intermediate rate is granted, effective from January 8, 2021. He was previously in need of aid and attendance due to his left knee disability since February 1, 2017, and now has additional disabilities rated at 50 percent or more.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing current diagnoses or functional impairment.
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