The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder, as the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD or establish a nexus between any diagnosed condition and the Veteran's active service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the claimed in-service stressor was not supported by the evidence of record, and there was no other medical evidence supporting a diagnosis of PTSD. The unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder were also determined to be less likely than not related to service due to the lack of documented mental health issues during service and the presence of significant post-military stressors.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, Unspecified Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, Severe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2025
- Citation
- A25040854
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 Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
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