The Veteran's combined disability rating is currently at 100%, but he has not been granted a permanent and total disability rating for any of his service-connected conditions. The Board denies the claim as there is no legal basis to grant Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a permanent and total disability rating from a service-connected condition, which is required for eligibility under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, proteinuria, fractured right tibia and fibula, obstructive sleep apnea, lung nodule, fibromyalgia, DJD of the left shoulder, DJD of the right shoulder, DDD of the cervical spine, loss of left hip flexion and abduction (each separately rated as 10 percent disabling), DDD of the lumbar spine, loss of right and left hip extension (each separately rated as 10 percent disabling), loss of right hip flexion and adduction (each separately rated as 10 percent disabling), chronic left ankle strain, scars, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19104496
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,911 · Granted: 10% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19104496.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
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