The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran’s PTSD is due to exposure to actual stressors during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20001734
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 has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder due to incomplete development of evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for emphysema, sleep apnea, and neuropathy of the lower extremities due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder claim remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a low back disability, and a heart disorder due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and alcohol abuse disorder are granted service connection. Bilateral elbow disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are denied.
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.