The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disability and seizure disorder were not incurred in service, as her personality disorders and alcoholism existed prior to service entry. The service records do not show any evidence of these conditions during active duty or on separation examination.
The deciding factor: The veteran had a pre-existing inadequate personality disorder and chronic alcoholism that did not manifest during service, and the acquired psychiatric disability and seizure disorder are considered secondary to her pre-service conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disability, Seizure Disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 10, 2001
- Citation
- 0118067
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 0118067.
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 earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, effective from the date of the appeal.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for hypertension is dismissed as the claim has been fully granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, back disability, fatigue, and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied a higher rating for TBI, an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits, and remanded service connection for seizure disorder.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.