The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital due to alcohol abuse was denied because VA facilities were found to be feasibly available.
The deciding factor: VA facilities were deemed feasible and reasonable given the urgency and nature of the situation, as evidenced by an ambulance response indicating non-emergency status and subsequent treatment at a VA facility.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol dependence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 27, 2008
- Citation
- 0806659
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0806659.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with associated depression, major depressive disorder, polysubstance dependence, cocaine dependence, alcohol dependence, and a history of heroine dependence.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of November 27, 2013, for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder, anxiety, and alcohol dependence due to new and relevant evidence.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that personality disorders are considered congenital or developmental defects and not subject to service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD with major depressive disorder, alcohol dependence and cannabis use disorder. The issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for psychiatric disability (PTSD) and TDIU based on psychiatric disability are remanded.
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