The veteran's combined disability rating of 40 percent does not meet the requirement for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes due to his nonservice-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in a combined rating that meets or exceeds the required threshold for a permanent and total disability rating, as they are evaluated at 30 percent each.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary Artery Disease, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Mental Disorder (Dysthymic Disorder), Reiter's Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 29, 2002
- Citation
- 0218850
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 0218850.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for GERD as it was aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, but denied service connection for ED due to a lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis. The issue of entitlement to service connection for anxiety is remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and denied service connection for left foot tendonitis. The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis were rated in excess of 10 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's GERD, finding that his condition is productive of daily medications to control dysphagia and is otherwise asymptomatic.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD and remanded the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a back disability, and sinusitis.
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