The Veteran's claim for SMC based on housebound status or the need for aid and attendance was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not result in such a need.,The appellant's claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits was granted due to her income being below the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, rated as 40% and 10% disabling respectively. His need for aid and attendance or housebound status was not due to his service-connected disabilities but rather from his terminal illness (stage 4 brain cancer).,The appellant's income exceeded the MAPR initially, but after deducting her medical expenses, it fell below the MAPR during each year of the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19115618
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,874 · Granted: 33% (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 19115618.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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.
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