Citation Nr: 18159708 Decision Date: 12/19/18 Archive Date: 12/19/18 DOCKET NO. 16-60 960 DATE: December 19, 2018 ORDER Service connection for a psychiatric disability, claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is denied. FINDING OF FACT PTSD has not been diagnosed, and anxiety disorder is not etiologically related to service. CONCLUSION OF LAW The criteria for service connection for a psychiatric disability have not been met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 5107(b); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.303, 3.304. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION The Veteran served on active duty from April 2003 to January 2008. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2015 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida. 1. Service connection for a psychiatric disability A. PTSD There are particular requirements for establishing entitlement to service connection for PTSD in 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f) that are in ways similar, but also nonetheless separate, from those for establishing entitlement to service connection generally. Arzio v. Shinseki, 602 F.3d 1343, 1347 (Fed. Cir. 2010). Entitlement to service connection for PTSD requires (1) medical evidence diagnosing the condition in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 4.125(a); (2) credible supporting evidence that a claimed in-service stressor occurred; and (3) a link, established by medical evidence, between current symptoms and the in-service stressor. 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.304 (f) and 4.125. Service connection for PTSD is not appropriate because a current diagnosis has not been established. A September 2015 VA examiner stated that the Veteran did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD based on her evaluation. This is consistent with VA treatment records from June 2015 and August 2015 documenting that the Veteran denied any avoidance or reliving symptoms and therefore did not meet Criterion A for a PTSD diagnosis. Although these records also include positive PTSD screens, these are based solely on the Veteran’s report of symptoms and do not establish a formal diagnosis. In the absence of a PTSD diagnosis, service connection for PTSD specifically is not warranted. B. Other Psychiatric Disabilities Generally, service connection may be granted for disability resulting from disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by service. 38 U.S.C. § 1110. Establishing service connection generally requires competent evidence of three things: (1) a current disability; (2) in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and (3) a causal relationship, i.e., a nexus, between the claimed in-service disease or injury and the current disability. Holton v. Shinseki, 557 F.3d 1362, 1366 (Fed. Cir. 2009); 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(a). The above VA records and examination report do reflect a current diagnosis of anxiety disorder. However, service treatment records are negative for any complaints, treatment or diagnoses relating to anxiety disorder or other psychiatric disability. The Veteran was evaluated in January 2004 following an alcohol-related incident, but no psychiatric disability was diagnosed at that time. A March 2004 service record shows the Veteran denied feeling down, helpless, or anxious. A February 2006 post-deployment assessment and October 2007 treatment record were also both negative for any psychiatric symptoms. The September 2015 rating decision acknowledged the Veteran’s exposure to stressful events associated with hostile military or terrorist activity. However, there is no competent opinion linking the current anxiety disorder to such events in service. While the Veteran reported that his symptoms began after these events, the VA examiner noted that there was not enough evidence to suggest that his symptoms were the result of such events based on the results of objective testing. This is generally consistent with the service treatment records which show the Veteran denied the presence of any such symptoms, including after deployments. There is no competent evidence to refute this opinion or to otherwise link anxiety disorder to service. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is not warranted. Shamil Patel Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD K. D. Cross, Associate Counsel