Service connection for hypertension is granted, presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied as the evidence does not meet VA's definition of 'hearing impairment' for compensation purposes.,Service connection for brain lesion is denied as there is no reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim with the requisite degree of probability that it was caused by presumptive exposure to Agent Orange or otherwise related to service.,A rating of 100 percent (total disability due to individual unemployability) for PTSD is granted, based on total social and occupational impairment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to have been caused by his exposure to herbicide agents during service. The evidence does not meet the VA's definition of 'hearing impairment' for compensation purposes, thus denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection for brain lesion is denied due to insufficient evidence linking it to Agent Orange exposure.,The Veteran's PTSD symptoms during the period from October 2017 to October 2020 were productive of total social and occupational impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, brain lesion, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- August 31, 2023
- Citation
- 23048078
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 23048078.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
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