The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, but he was granted service connection for an adjustment disorder with depressed mood. His claim for a compensable evaluation for migraine headaches was also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA psychologist concluded that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD conforming to DSM-5 criteria and considered his symptoms more likely related to military service than PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18143226
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 18143226.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder with depressed mood, based on the Veteran's reported symptoms during and since service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
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