The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from May 31, 2017, and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need of regular aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation and require regular aid and attendance due to their combined impact.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, Obstructive sleep apnea, Right upper extremity impairment due to stroke, Voiding dysfunction with urinary symptoms, Right lower extremity impairment due to stroke, Tinnitus, Dysarthria and expressive aphasia, Right facial droop due to stroke, Hypertension, Impairment of bowel secondary to stroke
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- February 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25009578
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,960 · Granted: 36% (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 A25009578.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
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