The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes due to his age, education, and employment background.
The deciding factor: The combined rating of all disabilities is 20 percent, which does not meet the requirements for a permanent and total disability rating based on unemployability.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol dependence, Alcohol-induced mood disorder, Nicotine dependence
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 12, 2005
- Citation
- 0521953
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 0521953.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with associated depression, major depressive disorder, polysubstance dependence, cocaine dependence, alcohol dependence, and a history of heroine dependence.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of November 27, 2013, for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder, anxiety, and alcohol dependence due to new and relevant evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for PTSD and nicotine dependence, but granted ratings for left knee limitations in flexion, extension, and patellar instability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that personality disorders are considered congenital or developmental defects and not subject to service connection.
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