The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits was granted, with the effective date set at September 15, 1997.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the veteran had a permanent and total disability due to his polycythemia vera, major depression, and post-traumatic degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, which prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- polycythemia vera, major depression, post-traumatic degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 8, 2002
- Citation
- 0202247
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 0202247.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for major depression, personality disorder, and severe anxiety due to an inadequate VA examination and opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for polycythemia vera, finding a nexus to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for tonic-clonic seizures or grand mal epilepsy, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, back/spinal cord injury, and major depression due to pre-decisional errors in the duty to assist.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as major depression and schizophrenia, due to new evidence being submitted after the prior final denial.
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