The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than alcohol use disorder, to include anxiety disorder, is denied. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a psychiatric disability other than alcohol use disorder. Service connection cannot be granted for alcohol dependence on the basis of service incurrence or aggravation as a matter of law. Regarding the claim for secondary service connection for an alcohol use disorder, the case is remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from the May 2018 VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's alcohol use disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a psychiatric disability other than alcohol use disorder. Service connection cannot be granted for alcohol dependence on the basis of service incurrence or aggravation as a matter of law.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol Use Disorder, Psychiatric Disorder Other Than Alcohol Use Disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19160419
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,242 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19160419.
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
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: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity in Vietnam, and his alcohol use disorder is due to his PTSD. Service connection for PTSD with alcohol use disorder has been granted.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was denied, and he was granted a TDIU. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a 100% disability rating.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's PTSD and bipolar disorder, as well as a failure to provide an adequate VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and cocaine use disorder due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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