The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from March 1, 2014. The claim for earlier effective date of SMC based on housebound status is denied as the Veteran was not permanently confined to his home prior to January 23, 2014.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (depressive disorder, migraines, hypertension with atypical chest pain, bilateral hearing loss, painful left second toe with flexion deformity, cervical strain, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral food) rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from March 1, 2014.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, migraines, hypertension with atypical chest pain, bilateral hearing loss, painful left second toe with flexion deformity, cervical strain, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee patellofemoral food with limitation of flexion, erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- June 16, 2022
- Citation
- 22035149
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 22035149.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
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