The Board found that the veteran's injuries from a 1997 motor vehicle accident were due to his own willful misconduct, and thus denied his claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence showed that the veteran was driving at the time of the accident, had tested positive for drugs and alcohol upon admission, and this willful misconduct was the proximate cause of his injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Closed head injury, Neck fracture
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2002
- Citation
- 0218663
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 0218663.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for treatment at Foote Memorial Hospital from May 12, 2008 to May 14, 2008 were denied because he refused transfer to a VA facility when arrangements were made and reasonable attempts were documented.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's injuries were not caused by or the result of VA medical treatment, and denied compensation for his claimed conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities resulting from a motorcycle accident are deemed to be the result of his own willful misconduct, specifically alcohol abuse. As such, he is not eligible for VA pension benefits.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's need for aid and attendance of another person is no longer shown, effective October 1, 2002.
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