The Board has determined that the appellant's HIV and substance abuse are not service-connected as they resulted from his own willful misconduct.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be granted for a disability resulting from a claimant's own alcohol or drug abuse, which includes substance abuse.
- Claimed conditions
- HIV, substance abuse
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2010
- Citation
- 1047704
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 1047704.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and sleep apnea have been withdrawn. The appeal concerning service connection for HIV has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for HIV, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, migraine headaches, erectile dysfunction, and Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was granted effective February 18, 2000.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for memory loss and substance abuse, as well as dismissed appeals regarding an increase in rating for hypertension and a reduction in disability rating for IBS with GERD.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected HIV and related conditions have resulted in the effective loss of use of his left foot, meeting the criteria for automobile or adaptive equipment eligibility.
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