The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that the veteran's schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type did not have its onset during active service or within the first post-service year and is not etiologically related to service.
The deciding factor: There was no competent evidence showing a nexus between the appellant's current psychiatric diagnosis and her military service.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2004
- Citation
- 0404989
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,977 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0404989.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas from November 15, 2016, to August 10, 2021.,Beginning August 11, 2021, the disability caused total occupational and social impairment.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type was dismissed due to her death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Dismissed
Your claim for service connection for a schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, was granted effective October 25, 2024. The appeal is dismissed as the full benefit sought has been granted.
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