The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including paranoid schizophrenia, was not well-grounded because there is no competent medical evidence showing that his preexisting psychiatric disability originated during active service or was aggravated therein.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the veteran had serious mental problems before he entered service and that his experience in the service did not cause any worsening of his preservice pathology.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disability, paranoid schizophrenia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2000
- Citation
- 0000612
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0000612.
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 an acquired psychiatric disability to correct a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist, specifically to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion addressing the Veteran's asserted in-service stressors.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for right hand strain status-post fracture of the third metacarpal and denied service connection for various other conditions including a right ankle condition, foot disability (torn Achilles tendon), acquired psychiatric disability, ear condition, head injury, left leg disability, and low back disability.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disability is dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia on the basis other than clear and unmistakable error (CUE), finding that March 3, 2008 is the earliest possible effective date.
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