The Veteran's alcohol abuse disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with TBI. He also receives a temporary total evaluation for hospitalization due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board grants him a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran’s alcohol use disorder is related to his service-connected PTSD with TBI, and he has been unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol Abuse Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Traumatic Brain Injury
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- May 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20035037
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 20035037.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD since August 29, 2014.,SMC at the housebound rate was also granted as of June 24, 2015.
- Granted
The Veteran's SMC at the N1/2 rate is granted, and he is also eligible for SMC(r)(1) based on his existing SMC(k) and SMC(o). The appeal regarding entitlement to SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(2) has not been resolved.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a temporary total rating of 100% for hospital treatment due to PTSD, opioid use disorder, and alcohol abuse disorder from December 26, 2018, through October 28, 2019. The treatment was required as part of a court-ordered agreement.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, necrotizing pancreatitis, was determined to be caused by his service-connected psychiatric disability (depression and alcohol abuse disorder), which substantially contributed to his death. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.
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