Kisor v. Wilkie, No. 16-1929 (Fed. Cir. 2020)
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Kisor served in the Marine Corps, 1962-1966. In 1982, he sought disability compensation benefits for PTSD. A 1983 psychiatric examination noted Kisor's combat experiences in Vietnam. The examiner expressed his “distinct impression” that Kisor suffered from “a personality disorder as opposed to PTSD,” which cannot be a basis for service connection. Kisor did not pursue an appeal. In 2006, Kisor submitted a request to reopen and presented a 2007 report of a psychiatric evaluation diagnosing PTSD. He was granted a 50% rating. The Veterans Court and Federal Circuit affirmed that Kisor was not entitled to an effective date earlier than 2006.
On remand from the Supreme Court, the Federal Circuit again affirmed. In the setting of 38 C.F.R. 3.156(c)(1), for purposes of reconsideration of the 1983 denial, the term “relevant” is not “genuinely ambiguous” and “Auer deference” is not appropriate. In the context of section 3.156(c)(1), “relevant” has only “one reasonable meaning.” As the Board determined, under the regulation, to be “relevant,” a record must speak to a matter in dispute. Service department records received in 2006 and 2007 were not “relevant” under the regulation because they did not pertain to the basis of the 1983 denial of Kisor’s claim, which was the lack of a diagnosis of PTSD.
This opinion or order relates to an opinion or order originally issued on September 7, 2017.
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