The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to active service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s current diagnosis of adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood did not meet the criteria for PTSD under DSM-5, and noted inconsistencies in the Veteran's reported history which prevented a definitive opinion without resorting to speculation.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, depressed mood, cocaine use
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19165197
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 19165197.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an effective date prior to February 25, 2025, for the grant of service connection for a depressed mood.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for a higher rating for unspecified anxiety disorder and entitlement to TDIU due to jurisdictional issues related to the opt-in process for the modernized review system.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board previously denied a TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety, depressed mood and bruxism. The Court has now remanded the case for further development considering new evidence that suggests the Veteran is unable to maintain employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood has been rated at 70 percent since September 26, 2014. The rating is granted as the symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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