CAVC Case 98-1849: PTSD

CAVCReal U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) decision · June 29, 2004 · IVERS

This is a decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims — the federal court that reviews Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions, one level above the Board. Court decisions can vacate, reverse, or affirm what the Board did.

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Outcome
Affirmed / Reversed
Decision Date
June 29, 2004
Judge
IVERS
Service Era
Not specified

Conditions Claimed

PTSDDepressionPsychiatricTDIUEye

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Issues on Appeal

PTSDDepressionPsychiatricTDIUEye

Why It Was Decided This Way

In the September 1998 Board decision here on appeal, the Board concluded that, on the basis of the law and evidence in existence at the time, both the July 1983 and January 1985 RO decisions were correct, and that there was therefore no CUE in either decision.

The Federal Circuit stated: While Andrews may not explicitly state "the Board erred," the fact that he is challenging the Board's decision is clear, as the Board affirmed the [RO's] decision denying the CUE claim.

e, one alleging that the RO failed to consider all relevant facts of record in making its determination as to a disability rating,] is valid and does not constitute a 'dispute as to how the evidence was weighed.

Clearly, Andrews was asserting that the Board erred in not discerning [CUE].

At 319-20 (holding that 7 Board erred "as a matter of law" under 38 C.

After defining CUE as "the kind of error, of fact or law, that when called to the attention of later reviewers compels the conclusion, to which reasonable minds could not differ, that the result would have been manifestly different but for the error", the Board concluded that "[t]he veteran has not pointed to such error in the subject [RO] decisions, and the Board is unable to discern such error.

The appellant's argument fails because the RO in its 1983 and 1985 decisions was not required even to discuss the evidence that it considered: However, the mere fact that the RO did not discuss [a specific] report in its decision or followup letter to the veteran does not make manifest that it did not consider it.

, "Andrews is indeed challenging the determination of the Board that all his [CUE] claim did was allege a defect in how the evidence was weighed"; "[c]learly, Andrews was asserting that the Board erred in not discerning [CUE]", Andrews v.

Authorities Cited

Abbs v. PrincipiAndre v. PrincipiAndre v. WestAndrews v. PrincipiAndrews v. WestArcher v. PrincipiBeyrle v. BrownBucklinger v. BrownBustos v. WestCrippen v. BrownDamrel v. BrownDonovan v. WestEddy v. BrownFugo v. BrownIn Hodge v. WestIn Russell v. PrincipiIn Szemraj v. PrincipiLuallen v. BrownMoody v. PrincipiPhillips v. BrownRoberson v. PrincipiRussell v. PrincipiSee Archer v. PrincipiSee Eddy v. BrownSee Johnston v. BrownSee Lane v. PrincipiSimmons v. PrincipiWatai v. BrownWells v. Principi

Regulations Cited (38 CFR / 38 USC)

38 CFR 3.10538 CFR 3.105(a)38 CFR 3.105(a) (2003)38 CFR 3.303(a) (1964)38 USC 5104(b)38 USC 5107(b)38 USC 510938 USC 7104(d)(1)38 USC 726138 USC 7261(a)(1)38 USC 7261(a)(3)38 USC 7261(a)(4)

Denial Type

CUE

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