The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities are the result of his own misconduct, specifically drinking alcohol to intoxication and driving a car. Therefore, he lacks legal merit for entitlement to nonservice-connected pension benefits.
The deciding factor: The veteran's current physical condition is due to his use of alcohol for the purpose of enjoying intoxication, which resulted in an automobile accident causing his disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Closed head injury with persistent comatose-like manifestations and symptoms, Appendectomy scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2000
- Citation
- 0000243
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0000243.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected appendectomy scar is granted a disability rating of 10 percent effective January 9, 2012. The Board found the evidence sufficient to grant this rating based on pain and itching.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted a TDIU as of May 10, 2021, due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection of acquired psychiatric disorders, athlete's foot, appendectomy scar, and sialadenitis were all denied. The Veteran was granted initial compensable ratings (10%) for athlete's foot, appendectomy scar, and sialadenitis. His claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee residuals of lateral meniscectomy is being remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
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