The Veteran's cause of death was opiate toxicity, believed to be due to heroin. The Board found that the Veteran’s service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) was at least in equipoise with his substance abuse disorder and thus caused his death.
The deciding factor: Medical evidence linked the Veteran's TBI to a polysubstance abuse disorder which ultimately led to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Opiate toxicity, Substance abuse disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21012350
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 21012350.
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: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder with substance abuse disorder, finding new and relevant evidence since the October 2018 denial. The decision also grants a combined claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder with substance abuse.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD with bipolar disorder and substance abuse disorder was granted, effective September 5, 2024. The decision also denied a request for an earlier effective date.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for service connection for a substance abuse disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include as secondary to the service-connected Hepatitis C disability, is remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for PTSD, substance abuse disorder, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's left side neck scar was rated at 10 percent prior to April 18, 2018, and 30 percent from that date onward, but these ratings were not increased. Prior to February 12, 2017, the Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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