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Whole decision: Denied

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD. The Board finds that the most probative evidence weighs against a current PTSD diagnosis and concludes that the Veteran does not have this disability. His TDIU claim, however, is granted based on his service-connected bipolar disorder with psychotic features.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not indicate any diagnosis of PTSD during or after service. The January 2011 VA psychiatric examination concluded that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis due to lack of persistent avoidance and numbing of general responsiveness. His current diagnoses include bipolar disorder with psychotic features, which is rated at 70% disability.

Claimed conditions
PTSD
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
January 16, 2015
Citation
1502270

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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1502270.

What this means for you

A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.

What you can do next

Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

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