The Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Board finds no evidence of a chronic disease or injury during service and no continuous symptoms since service that would support a finding of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical opinion diagnosing the Veteran with PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV criteria, and the weight of the evidence does not support a diagnosis of any other current psychiatric disability related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar Affective Disorder, Alcohol Dependency Disorder, Tobacco Use Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2014
- Citation
- 1419482
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 1419482.
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 seeks service connection for his current psychiatric disabilities, including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bipolar affective disorder. The Board finds that the facts of this case establish entitlement to VA examination and/or medical opinion regarding the claim due to a possible association between the Veteran's in-service experiences and his current conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with MDD, tobacco use disorder, and alcohol use disorder, as well as special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea based on new and relevant evidence, but remanded both claims for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of April 1, 2021.
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