The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder. The Board also denied service connection for cannabis use disorder. The decision is based on a finding that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.
The deciding factor: The VA psychiatrist found no medical nexus between the diagnosed psychiatric disabilities and service, citing the lack of documented symptoms or diagnoses during service and the long period between service and diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, cannabis use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20066414
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's award of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective from April 15, 2017, solely based on his unspecified anxiety disorder. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.