The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: There is clear and unmistakable evidence of a pre-existing psychiatric disability that did not worsen during service.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, NOS, anxiety disorder, NOS
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 26, 2017
- Citation
- 1718767
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1718767.
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: Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected depression was rated at 50 percent from September 4, 2013, to March 4, 2018, and then increased to 70 percent from March 5, 2018, but denied a rating in excess of 70 percent thereafter.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for an increased evaluation for anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified is dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than November 21, 2012, and a higher initial rating for his service-connected depressive disorder are being remanded due to procedural errors in the previous decision.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the issues of a rating in excess of 30 percent for anxiety disorder, NOS and entitlement to TDIU.
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