The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of death and entitlement to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, finding that there was no competent or credible evidence linking his death to service.
The deciding factor: There is no competent or credible evidence linking the Veteran's death to service, including a psychiatric disorder for which service connection may be granted (primary service connection for alcohol abuse and personality disorders are prohibited by law and regulation).
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol Abuse, Explosive Personality Disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 22, 2018
- Citation
- 1817982
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 1817982.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol abuse was granted, and the Board determined that a 70 percent evaluation is warranted based on occupational and social impairment.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, alcohol abuse, and sleep disturbances were reduced from a 70 percent rating to a 50 percent rating effective September 1, 2020. The Board found that the evidence did not show an improvement in his ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work or in the overall frequency and severity of his symptomatology.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, including suicidal ideation and depression, warrant a 100% disability rating effective August 12, 2020.
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.