The veteran's claim for service connection for multiple drug dependency, substance abuse, and alcoholism is denied as a matter of law due to the lack of entitlement under the law. The issue of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with symptoms of fatigue and anxiety, requires further development.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be granted because the veteran's condition does not meet the legal criteria for direct service connection or secondary service connection as a result of his alcoholism is precluded by law.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple drug dependency, Substance abuse, Alcoholism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2008
- Citation
- 0841812
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 0841812.
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 Veteran's claim for a 100 percent rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and substance abuse, as well as the award of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under Chapter 35, are granted effective June 27, 2019.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for substance abuse, bilateral glaucoma, and type two diabetes mellitus. The issues of service connection for a left knee disability and hormonal imbalance were remanded.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of review options, and the claim for alcoholism was denied as a matter of law.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD beginning March 16, 2010 and denied a motion for revision of an August 2007 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The Board also granted service connection for alcoholism, major depressive disorder, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, sleep apnea, and increased ratings for PTSD.
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