The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and alcohol abuse disorder are granted service connection. Bilateral elbow disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are denied.
The deciding factor: Medical opinions supported the claims for acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and alcohol use disorder as secondary to service-connected conditions. The Veteran's elbow and knee disorders were not diagnosed during or recent to the pendency of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), Alcohol abuse disorder, Bilateral elbow disorder, Bilateral knee disorder, Lumbar spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20066911
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,038 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20066911.
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.
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The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, bilateral knee disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to duty-to-assist errors and insufficient medical opinions. The issues include PTSD, neck disorder, back disorder, left-hand disorder, bilateral foot disorders, and bilateral knee disorders.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.
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