The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 9, 2018 for service connection for multiple myeloma and for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance status (SMC aid and attendance) and the housebound rate (SMC housebound), but denied a higher initial disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service near the perimeter of Korat RTAFB established entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection under the PACT Act, while a 100% disability rating was not warranted based on the evidence provided.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple myeloma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- May 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25041091
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 749 · Granted: 28% (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 A25041091.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection for acute promyelocytic leukemia on a presumptive basis is granted. However, the claim for service connection on a direct causation basis is remanded due to a failure to provide a TERA examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's retroactive compensation payments were validly created due to concurrent receipt of military pay and VA benefits, resulting in a debt that was properly recouped.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's multiple myeloma, which was presumed to be caused by herbicide agent exposure during service, was a contributing factor to his death. Therefore, the claim of service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Granted
Service connection for multiple myeloma is granted. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for COPD, PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, as well as service connection for back, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities are being remanded.
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