The Board denied service connection for alcohol dependence as it was a result of the Veteran's own willful misconduct. The claim for service connection for all other psychiatric disabilities (including paranoid schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder not otherwise specified, adjustment disorder, borderline personality disorder, and anxiety) was also denied on the merits.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's alcohol dependence is considered a result of his own willful misconduct. The other psychiatric conditions are not related to service or any service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- alcohol dependence, paranoid schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder not otherwise specified, adjustment disorder, borderline personality disorder, anxiety
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2010
- Citation
- 1019353
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 1019353.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for major depressive disorder, secondary to tinnitus and dismissed the appeal regarding an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for adjustment disorder was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.
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