The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress neurosis, finding that the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD and that there was no combat exposure in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board concluded that the Veteran's service records contained no references to combat and that the evidence did not establish a valid diagnosis of PTSD related to alleged combat experience in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Neurosis, Anti-social Personality Disorder, Depression-Suicidal Gesture, Hysterical Dependent Personality, Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depressive Episode with Psychotic Features, Atypical Affective Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2023
- Citation
- 23064618
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 23064618.
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 PTSD with major depressive disorder and borderline personality disorder was granted a 70 percent disability rating from January 22, 2025, to the present. The symptoms indicate significant occupational and social impairment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining service treatment records and verifying the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ADT) and inactive duty for training (IDT). The claim will be reconsidered with these issues addressed.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Unspecified Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Other Specified Personality Disorder, and Unspecified Depressive Disorder, due to in-service sexual trauma.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for borderline personality disorder and a psychiatric disorder other than borderline personality disorder, to include major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.
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.