The Board granted service connection for bilateral cataracts, restrictive lung disease/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, and low back pain/back osteoarthritis. The claim for a compensable initial disability rating for hypertension was denied.
The deciding factor: The Board granted service connection based on new evidence of toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) memorandums supporting herbicide agent and jet fuel exposure during service, which is relevant to the Veteran's lung disease and knee/hip conditions. The hypertension claim was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral cataracts, Hypertension, Restrictive lung disease/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Right knee osteoarthritis, Left knee osteoarthritis, Right hip osteoarthritis, Left hip osteoarthritis, Low back pain/back osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25053000
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.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
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