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Board of Veterans' Appeals · AMA series

Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

July 30, 2026Citation Nr. A26069923Docket 220414-236354va.gov source

  • service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorderDenied
DecisionAnalysis

Board reasoning

The Board found no nexus between the current psychiatric disorder and service. It credited the August 2021 VA examination which stated it was less likely than not that the disorder was incurred in or caused by an in-service event, and it discounted lay statements as insufficient without medical corroboration. The Board also noted Clemons v. Shinseki to frame the issue and explained that the Veteran’s own opinion on etiology is not probative.

Issues

  • service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorderDenied

Authorities

  • Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1Court addressed broadening the scope of service-connected psychiatric disorders within the claim
  • Lynch v. McDonough, 21 F.4th 776Federal Circuit on the standard for when the benefit of the doubt applies

Extracted with gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07. Citations are kept only when they appear in the decision text.