The Board denied service connection for alcohol dependence disorder secondary to service-connected depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's lay evidence regarding the relationship between his depression and drinking was not credible. The medical opinions provided did not support a finding of secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran's lay statements inconsistent with other treatment records and found them not credible. The VA examiner opined that the alcohol use disorder was recreational and not caused or aggravated by any service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- alcohol dependence disorder, depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 6, 2022
- Citation
- 22050662
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 22050662.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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- Remanded (sent back)
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