The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and bipolar disorder, are denied as not related to her military service. Service connection for alcohol abuse / dependence is also denied.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD due to alleged in-service MST, and the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are not otherwise related to her military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Other than PTSD), Alcohol Abuse / Dependence, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2023
- Citation
- 23025779
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 23025779.
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 Veteran's claim for PTSD (based on MST) and bipolar disorder is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that suggests an in-service assault could not be corroborated, specifically missing Leave and Earnings Statements.
- Denied
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, specifically PTSD based on MST, is rated at 30 percent and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and Vet Center treatment records, employment information from former employers, and any other relevant medical records. The claims will be readjudicated after these actions.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.