The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for alcoholism is granted, effective June 26, 2009. The claims for partial pancreatectomy and splenectomy are also granted with an effective date of July 29, 2011.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates was found to be reasonable due to the liberal interpretation of his initial PTSD claim as including a secondary claim for alcoholism. The claims were reopened and granted based on the earliest date of surgery (August 31, 2009) and the date of receipt of petition to reopen (July 26, 2011).
- Claimed conditions
- alcoholism, partial pancreatectomy, splenectomy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20012474
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 20012474.
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 partial pancreatectomy with chronic constipation is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under current criteria. The Board finds that her symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's alcoholism is secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's motion to revise an August 2009 rating decision denying service connection for alcoholism (also claimed as depression) on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE), finding no CUE in the original decision.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing substantially gainful employment, and therefore TDIU is denied.
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