The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his depressive disorder and eye disability, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected conditions collectively preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment due to the severity of his depression and eye disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive disorder, Contusion of the optic nerve, Dermatitis, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Disseminated mycobacterium avium (MAI), Kaposi’s sarcoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20076375
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 20076375.
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 has identified a contradiction in the AOJ's determinations regarding the Veteran's need for aid and assistance, which requires clarification. The remanded issues are entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another and on the basis of statutory housebound status.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted an initial 70 percent evaluation, effective September 23, 2024. The Veteran's dermatitis remains at a 10 percent evaluation.
- Denied
The Veteran is found not competent to handle the disbursement of VA funds, and his appeal is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) due to being housebound is denied because he does not have a single service-connected disability rated as total, and his disabilities are not separate and distinct from the maximum combined rating of 100 percent.
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