The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a verifiable stressor and insufficient continuity of care to support a current disability related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for PTSD under DSM-V due to lack of verified stressors and insufficient continuity of care between service and post-service treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Opioid Use Disorder, Induced Mood Disorder, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Affective Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19185114
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another since September 30, 2020.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and right hand strain, increased the ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, dyshidrotic eczema, and hypertension, and denied service connection for Parkinsonism, pes planus/flat feet, GERD, tinea versicolor, allergic rhinitis, and tinnitus. The Board also granted a TDIU.
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