The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, were not related to his service and denied the claim.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence of a recognized stressor during service and the Veteran's reported stressors could not be verified.
- Claimed conditions
- psychotic disorder, cocaine dependence, alcohol dependence
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2015
- Citation
- 1508380
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 1508380.
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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will need to obtain an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability with alcohol dependence.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is granted, and his nonservice-connected death pension benefits are denied due to lack of wartime service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcohol dependence, and anger issues. The denial is based on a lack of verified stressor in service linking these conditions to service, as well as a lack of medical nexus connecting them to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for alcohol dependence and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, both secondary to service-connected conditions.
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