The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD. The VA examiner found that the Veteran did not meet all criteria for PTSD and his symptoms were better explained by other diagnoses.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran did not meet all criteria for PTSD, including intrusion symptoms, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, hypertensive, angioplasty with stent (severe), arteriosclerosis, ischemic heart disease to include exposure to Agent Orange, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, atopic dermatitis, pulmonary illness, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), high blood pressure, fatigue
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 29, 2017
- Citation
- 1743624
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 1743624.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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