My claim was denied for a "Documented Pre-Existing Condition"

What these denials mean:

These denials are confirming that there is a mental disorder, but they are asserting that it is not a compensable disability because it's a preexisting condition that was not aggravated beyond its natural course of progression by anything in the service. If there is a documented condition on the enlistment exam, the burden of proof falls on the Veteran to prove that their condition was aggravated in service.

You can still get service-connection for a mental disorder, if:

You had a documented preexisting condition, but it ended up getting way worse than what would be typically expected due to your service.

How?

1. Records Review - You would need to provide me with relevant pre-military, military, and post-military records. I would start with a Records Review, so I can review to determine the pre-military level of impairment and to assess for evidence regarding aggravation and a potential nexus to service.
2. Independent Medical Examination (IME) - Then, we would go through the IME process to determine your current level of impairment.
3. Nexus Letter - Since the burden of proof falls on the Veteran to prove aggravation, my comparison of your pre-military level of impairment to your present-day level of impairment will determine whether I can write a nexus letter to support your claim.