The appellant's disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, are sufficient to warrant a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension benefits.
The deciding factor: The combined evaluation of the appellant's nonservice-connected disabilities meets or exceeds the required percentage for a permanent and total disability rating under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Adjustment disorder with depression, Hypertension, Arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, Bilateral hips, Bilateral shoulders, Fingers of both hands, Tendonitis and bursitis of the left shoulder, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Left optic atrophy, Presbyopia, Hepatitis C, Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), Chronic sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- June 26, 2001
- Citation
- 0117130
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 0117130.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his myocardial infarction and COPD to his military service.
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