The Board found that the Veteran's current major depressive disorder did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that there is no objective evidence to support the Veteran's contention of depression while in service, and noted that his STRs do not mention any depressive symptoms or psychological distress.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (Major Depressive Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 16, 2016
- Citation
- 1643579
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 1643579.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (Major Depressive Disorder), finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service or any service-connected condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is denied as it is due to his own willful misconduct during service, specifically his unauthorized absences and other disciplinary issues.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his service. The Board found that the Veteran’s Major Depressive Disorder is more likely due to post-service factors.,Service connection for athletes' foot, right knee disorder, back disorder, and right ankle disorder were remanded as VA examinations are needed to determine their etiology.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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