The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, mood disorder, adjustment disorder, and anxiety, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's diagnosed major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder were incurred in or caused by his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder, Mood Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, Anxiety
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20011837
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 20011837.
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 Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety, and Depression as these conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's active military service.
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