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
- Not verified here — check the original 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23025779.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
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