The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for alcohol abuse, esophageal varices, cirrhosis of the liver, and hepatic encephalopathy as secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder due to the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death, which means the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims at this time.
- Claimed conditions
- alcohol abuse, esophageal varices, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatic encephalopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2023
- Citation
- 23002743
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 23002743.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress and alcohol abuse, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to active service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and its secondary effects on other conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, and splenomegaly.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol abuse and drug abuse, as well as a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or secondary service connection.
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