The Board denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as the veteran did not have a service-connected disability at the time of his death and there was no evidence to support a finding that he would have been entitled to a total disability rating for ten years immediately preceding his death.
The deciding factor: The appellant failed to demonstrate that the veteran would have been entitled to a total disability rating for 10 continuous years immediately preceding his death under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.22.
- Claimed conditions
- schizophrenia, avitaminosis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2004
- Citation
- 0400134
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 0400134.
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 service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed alternatively as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, due to an inadequate VA examiner's opinion and a failure to fulfill the duty to assist in obtaining relevant medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including left and right shoulder disabilities, avitaminosis, non-iron deficient anemia, and thigh muscle disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychological condition, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, due to inadequate medical examinations and opinions.
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.