The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain gainful employment due to his willful misconduct, specifically substance abuse. As a result, he is not entitled to nonservice-connected pension benefits.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's mental impairment is due to his own willful misconduct (alcohol and cocaine abuse).
- Claimed conditions
- Depressed mood disorder, Psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, Major depression with psychotic features, Alcohol induced persisting dementia, Continuous alcohol dependence, Continuous cocaine abuse
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0918189
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0918189.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, as there is no persuasive evidence linking the Veteran's psychiatric conditions to his active-duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error due to the lack of consideration of the Veteran's service-connected major depression with psychotic features in determining his eligibility for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance. The case is remanded for further evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The Veteran's claims include service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and a psychotic disorder not otherwise specified.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the original grants of service connection for depressive disorder not otherwise specified, alcohol abuse, and alcohol induced persisting dementia were clearly erroneous due to the Veteran's willful misconduct in abusing alcohol. The appeal is denied.
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