The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's alcohol and drug dependence is active or in remission, and whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD with depression.
The deciding factor: The Court found that there was conflicting evidence regarding the status of the Veteran's substance-related disorder (in remission vs. active), and thus a VA examination is needed to clarify this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- alcohol and drug dependence
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2016
- Citation
- 1617490
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 1617490.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for the Veteran's psychiatric disability, as the evidence did not support a retroactive evaluation prior to April 15, 2013.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the inextricability of his service connection claims. The Board will consider all pending service connection claims before deciding on the TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded all claims due to errors in the July 2021 decision, including inadequate opinions and reliance on negative evidence from the Veteran's enlistment report of medical history. The Court found that further development is needed for these claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and conducting a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any alcohol and drug dependence that may be present. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression is being considered as potentially causing or aggravating his substance-related disorder.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.