The Board has found that the AOJ did not substantially comply with prior remand directives and requires addendum opinions regarding whether the Veteran's substance abuse disorder is at least as likely as not aggravated by a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the previous opinions were inadequate because they only addressed causation but not aggravation, and thus requires additional examination to address both aspects.
- Claimed conditions
- substance abuse disability, tinnitus, radiculopathy of bilateral lower extremities, thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral paravertebral incision scars
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23015235
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 23015235.
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 Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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