The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for schizophrenia, finding that the evidence submitted was not new and material.
The deciding factor: The evidence received since the August 2009 rating decision is cumulative and redundant of previous evidence in the record at the time of the last final denial.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as schizophrenia)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2015
- Citation
- 1511967
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 1511967.
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 has granted the petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as schizophrenia) and has also granted the underlying claim. The evidence supports that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically schizophrenia, likely began during his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new and material evidence received. The case is now remanded for further development, including a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as schizophrenia, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The gap between discharge from active duty and initial reported symptoms related to a psychiatric disorder is noted, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.