The Board has granted service connection for opioid use disorder on a secondary basis to the Veteran, finding that his service-connected back disability and radiculopathy aggravated his opioid use disorder beyond its natural progression.
The deciding factor: Two VA opinions concluded that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities (back disability and radiculopathy) aggravated his opioid use disorder beyond its natural progression from a mild or none baseline.
- Claimed conditions
- Opioid Use Disorder, Back Disability (Lumbar Spine)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 29, 2018
- Citation
- 18115258
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18115258.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective date, increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU have been denied. The Board found that an earlier effective date is not warranted due to the lack of evidence showing entitlement to a temporary total disability rating prior to October 29, 2020. For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder and opioid use disorder are rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied an increase to a higher rating.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's eligibility for VA home loan guaranty benefits is granted due to her service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and depression, which were incurred during her Reserve service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran was granted a temporary total rating of 100% for hospital treatment due to PTSD, opioid use disorder, and alcohol abuse disorder from December 26, 2018, through October 28, 2019. The treatment was required as part of a court-ordered agreement.
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