The Board reopened a previously denied claim for anxiety disorder based on new and material evidence, but denied entitlement to service connection for major depressive disorder and PTSD, finding the evidence does not establish these disorders were caused by military service. The anxiety disorder claim was reopened without adjudication on the merits due to the finality of the prior April 2002 decision.
The deciding factor: The Board found new and material evidence (post-2002 medical records and VA examinations) supported reopening the claim, but concluded objective medical evidence showed the acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder and PTSD, were not caused by events, injuries, or illnesses during active service, with VA examiners finding symptoms did not meet DSM-5 criteria for PTSD and attributing mood disorders to alcohol use disorder and psychosocial stressors unrelated to service.
- Claimed conditions
- anxiety disorder (claimed as nervous condition), major depressive disorder, PTSD, alcohol dependence, alcohol use disorder, alcohol-induced mood disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20000033
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Dismissed
The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.