The Veteran's opioid withdrawal symptoms, dependence, and addiction are not considered to be caused by VA medical care or negligence.
The deciding factor: VA treatment records show that the Veteran was prescribed opioids for pain management. The Board found informed consent in his record at the time he began long-term opioid therapy but did not find sufficient evidence of negligence or fault on VA's part.
- Claimed conditions
- opioid withdrawal symptoms, opioid dependence, opioid addiction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2024
- Citation
- 24002272
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,677 · Granted: 26% (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 24002272.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for schizoaffective disorder with opioid dependence due to a withdrawal by the appellant and his representative.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a back condition, opioid addiction, special monthly compensation at the housebound rate, and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance was withdrawn by the appellant.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain an adequate independent medical opinion regarding the Veteran's 38 U.S.C. § 1151 claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for an independent medical opinion to determine if additional disability, claimed as opioid withdrawal symptoms, opioid dependence, and opioid addiction, was proximately caused by VA treatment.
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