The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the service connection claim related to the cause of death, as the previous VA opinion was inadequate and did not address all relevant issues. The case is being remanded for further examination and analysis.
The deciding factor: The previous medical opinion provided by a VA examiner was found to be insufficient due to lack of detailed rationale and speculative language used in the opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol abuse disorder, Thrombophlebitis of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20035112
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 20035112.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent for his PTSD with major depressive disorder, alcohol abuse disorder, and insomnia is remanded due to incomplete records. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a mood disorder and alcohol abuse disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The other claims for increased ratings were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an alcohol abuse disorder as secondary to the service-connected PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a left knee disability, alcohol abuse disorder, and a liver condition as there was no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.
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