The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with major depressive disorder (MDD), finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's in-service snake bite and his current psychiatric conditions.
The deciding factor: The June 2021 VA medical exam and June 2022 VA medical opinion found the Veteran's PTSD was due to traumatic childhood events prior to service, while his MDD is more likely related to a post-service event. The Board determined that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the in-service snake bite and the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24067198
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 appeal for a temporary total evaluation due to continuous hospital treatment and/or observation more than 21 days for PTSD with major depressive disorder has been granted.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine condition and left knee condition, while denying service connection for costochondritis, dizziness, right foot condition, sleep apnea, a rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis with calcific tendinopathy, supraspinatus tendon status-post acromioplasty/distal clavicle excision, and a compensable rating for scar of right shoulder. The initial rating for PTSD was denied.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings, granted a 30 percent rating for dizziness, and remanded several claims.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the proposed rating reductions for irritable bowel syndrome and PTSD with MDD was dismissed due to a claims processing error, as these were merely proposals and not final decisions.
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