The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to his left knee disability and consequent alcohol abuse. The issue of entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed as no benefit remains to be awarded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability caused or contributed substantially or materially to his death from alcoholic cirrhosis due to self-medicating with alcohol.
- Claimed conditions
- alcoholic cirrhosis, post-operative left knee patellofemoral syndrome with reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20027285
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 20027285.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to alcoholic cirrhosis, as it was not related to the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability existed during service and its relation to current conditions, as well as determining if any psychiatric disorder was a substantial or contributing factor in the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for alcoholic cirrhosis, finding that it is proximately caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records from a specific period and seeking an opinion on whether PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability existed during service and its relationship to current conditions.
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.