The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for clarification on whether he wishes to pursue a service connection claim for substance abuse as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with depression. If the Veteran wishes, an appropriate VA examination will be scheduled to determine if he has had a current diagnosis of substance abuse or a history of substance abuse at any time since January 2003 and whether it is at least as likely as not that such condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with depression.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim requires clarification on whether he wishes to pursue a secondary service connection for substance abuse. If the Veteran does, an appropriate VA examination will be scheduled to determine if he has had a current diagnosis of substance abuse or a history of substance abuse at any time since January 2003 and whether it is at least as likely as not that such condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with depression.
- Claimed conditions
- substance abuse, PTSD with depression
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2015
- Citation
- 1513860
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 1513860.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
For the period prior to October 29, 2021, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) based on housebound status is denied.,For the entire appeal period, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l) based on need of regular aid and attendance is granted.
- 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 disabilities, including PTSD, sleep apnea, and various musculoskeletal conditions, have resulted in a combined rating of 100 percent. The Board has granted SMC at the M-rate due to his need for special aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied entitlement to earlier effective dates for a TDIU and DEA benefits, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 28, 2010.
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