The Board has granted service connection for substance abuse as secondary to PTSD and left shoulder impingement, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding both conditions.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted based on a determination that the Veteran's alcohol dependence and shoulder condition were caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- substance abuse, left shoulder impingement
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2015
- Citation
- 1507079
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 1507079.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided for the Veteran's cervical and lumbosacral strains, left elbow strain, right elbow strain, and left shoulder impingement are inadequate. The Board also notes that there is no evidence of service connection for hypertension in this decision.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for depression and substance abuse, finding no evidence of a relationship to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, headaches, substance abuse, and chronic pain syndrome as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by the Veteran's active service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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