The Veteran's claim for service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder (initially claimed as PTSD) is denied because there is no evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-V based on a stressor event in service, and the evidence does not support that his current diagnosed 'other specified trauma and stressor related disorder' is related to a disease or injury in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's misconduct problems began prior to an alleged MST event in service, which makes it difficult to establish a causal relationship between the diagnosis of 'other specified trauma and stressor related disorder' and the alleged stressor event in service.
- Claimed conditions
- other specified trauma and stressor related disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2019
- Citation
- A19003210
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 A19003210.
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 Board granted service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, previously claimed as PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating greater than 30 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, finding the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, due to a conceded in-service assault.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), and chronic right wrist sprain were denied. The Board also granted an effective date of July 7, 2023 for the award of increased ratings.
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