The Veteran was granted an effective date of January 2, 2011 for a total rating based on individual unemployability and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance. The claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates were denied.
The deciding factor: The most probative evidence supported the finding that the Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and that hypertension was presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Tinnitus, Hypertension, Bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25028004
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
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