The Board found that the veteran's service-connected paranoid schizophrenia was not a primary or contributory cause of his death.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence, including an opinion from Dr. Jos, did not support a causal connection between the veteran's service-connected schizophrenia and his death due to congestive heart failure.
- Claimed conditions
- Paranoid schizophrenia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2008
- Citation
- 0811987
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 Board granted an earlier effective date of September 28, 2021, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for obsessive compulsive disorder with psychotic features and paranoid schizophrenia.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the current conditions are not related to any in-service event and there is no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor.
- Granted
The veteran is entitled to an effective date of May 5, 2005, for the grant of a 100 percent evaluation for paranoid schizophrenia and DEA benefits.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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.