The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD related to an in-service stressor and his acquired psychiatric disorders are not service-connected. The claim for increased rating for residuals of fourth and fifth finger fracture is granted.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence shows that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and his acquired psychiatric disorders are not linked to active military service.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disorder, bipolar disorder, episodic mood disorder, recurrent major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, psychotic disorder, schizoaffective disorder, personality disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2017
- Citation
- 1718069
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 1718069.
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 Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
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