The Veteran's appeal for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD and instead diagnosed him with Major Depressive Disorder. Appeals for increased ratings for other conditions were also addressed, but are remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran did not meet the DSM-5 PTSD criterion A due to inadequate exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder, Degenerative Disc Disease (L4-L5 and L5-S1), Neurological Impairment of Right Lower Extremity, Neurological Impairment of Left Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2018
- Citation
- 1827271
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 1827271.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a 70 percent disability rating for his psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with MDD and anxiety, has been granted. However, the issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to procedural issues.
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