The Veteran's cause of death was due to acute ethanol and heroin intoxication, which the Board found to be related to his service-connected substance abuse issues. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death based on the evidence showing a pattern of chronic substance use that began during service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's substance use leading to his death was part of a broader pattern of behavior that resulted in functional impairment, which could be established as a disability for VA purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute ethanol and heroin intoxication
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2024
- Citation
- A24013699
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 A24013699.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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