The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder, is not related to his military service and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The lumbar spine condition was also found not to be related to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the current diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder did not have its onset during or as a result of service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (schizoaffective disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 25, 2016
- Citation
- 1629569
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 1629569.
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 Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient evidence to link the schizoaffective disorder to military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder) are not related to his active duty service. The claim for service connection was denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical records and provide the Veteran with an examination to determine if his current psychiatric disorders are related to service. The appeal is currently pending due to this remand.
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