The Board granted an effective date of August 13, 2019, for the grant of service connection for various disabilities associated with herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and its associated disabilities were present during the entire appeals period, predating his claim, thus establishing entitlement to service connection prior to August 13, 2019.
- Claimed conditions
- Parkinson's disease with balance impairment and right lower extremity bradykinesia, tremor and rigidity, left upper extremity bradykinesia and tremor, right upper extremity bradykinesia and tremor, left lower extremity bradykinesia and tremor, left tenth (pneumogastric, vagus) cranial nerve speech changes, right tenth (pneumogastric, vagus) cranial nerve speech changes, left stooped posture, right stooped posture, constipation, loss of sense of smell, sexual dysfunction, major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25034371
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 claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left hip degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle and knee conditions, and major depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected knee and ankle conditions. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.