Source: http://askus.unitedspinal.org/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=2821
Timestamp: 2018-02-23 02:54:21
Document Index: 405536401

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1111', '§ 3', '§ 1111', '§ 3', '§ 1110', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 3']

Home → Veterans Guide to VA Benefits → VA Compensation-Service Connected Disability Conditions due to Legal Presumptions → Presumption of Soundness
Upon entering service, an individual will be presumed sound, "except as to defects, infirmities, or disorders noted at [entry], or where clear and unmistakable evidence demonstrates that the injury or disease existed before [service] and was not aggravated by such service." 38 U.S.C. §§ 1111, 1132; 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(b). "Clear and unmistakable evidence," as used in the governing statutes, has been interpreted to mean evidence that "cannot be misinterpreted and misunderstood, i.e., it is undebatable." Vanerson v. West, 12 Vet. App. 254, 258-59 (1999) (citing definition of "clear and unmistakable error" in Russell v. Principi, 3 Vet. App. 310, 313-14 (1992) (en banc)).
The Court has held that the Board should seek medical opinions as necessary to determine the sufficiency of the evidence offered to rebut the presumption of soundness. Adams v. West, 13 Vet. App. 453 (2000), aff'd sub nom. Adams v. Principi, 256 F.3d 1318 (Fed. Cir. 2001). The regulations implementing 38 U.S.C. § 1111 state that medical evidence is necessary to rebut the presumption of soundness and that the Board should not make such a determination without seeking medical opinions. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(b); see also Adams, 256 F.3d at 1318. Although the Secretary may not seek an opinion for the sole purpose of discrediting an appellant's claim, the Board is free to obtain a medical opinion to clarify an issue of medical complexity. See Adams, 256 F.3d at 1318; see Mariano v. Principi, 17 Vet. App. 305, 312 (2003). Quirin v. Shinseki, 22 Vet. App. 390, 395 (2009).
The only prerequisite for the application of the presumption of soundness is that the veteran's entry examination be clear of any noted diseases or disabilities. See Wagner, 370 F.3d at 1096. The Court has recognized that service connection may be granted for congenital diseases. Monroe v. Brown, 4 Vet. App. 513, 515 (1993). The presumption of soundness applies if a veteran's congenital condition is not noted at entry. See id.
The presumption of soundness does not, however, apply to congenital defects, because such defects "are not diseases or injuries" within the meaning of 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110 and 1111. 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(c); see Terry v. Principi, 340 F.3d 1378, 1385-86 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (holding that the presumption of soundness does not apply to congenital defects); see Winn v. Brown, 8 Vet. App. 510, 516 (1996) (holding that a non-disease or non-injury entity such as a congenital defect is "not the type of disease- or injury-related defect to which the presumption of soundness can apply"). "VA regulations state that congenital or developmental defects 'are not diseases or injuries within the meaning of applicable legislation.'" Quirin v. Shinseki, 22 Vet. App. 390, 394 (2009) (quoting 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(c)). On the other hand, "congenital diseases . . . may be service connected." Id.
Importantly, it is well established that merely noting a history of pre-service medical problems does not suffice to "note" a medical condition that is present at induction. See Crowe v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 238, 245 (1995) (childhood history of asthma did not "note" the condition at induction); 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(b)(1) ("History of preservice existence of conditions recorded at the time of examinations does not constitute a notation of such conditions").
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