The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol abuse disorder and liver cancer, as well as his claim for TDIU prior to August 25, 2016, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA mental health examination did not adequately address whether the Veteran's alcohol abuse disorder is aggravated by PTSD or if his liver cancer was caused by alcohol use. The TDIU claim requires clarification on when the Veteran became unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- alcohol abuse disorder, liver cancer
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19101681
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for cancer of the hip bone and liver cancer is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal cancer other than esophageal cancer and stomach cancer, brain cancer, and prostate cancer. The issues of entitlement to service connection for esophageal cancer, metastatic esophageal cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and liver cancer were remanded.
- Granted
The Board grants an earlier effective date of March 24, 2023, for the awards of service connection for lung cancer, kidney cancer, and liver cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for colon cancer, liver cancer, and prostate cancer due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.