The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and chronic interstitial lung disease were granted under the PACT Act. A compensable rating of at least 10 percent was also granted for photophobia and vitreous floaters.

The deciding factor: The decision was based on presumptive service connection under the PACT Act, which added hypertension to the list of diseases related to herbicide agent exposure.

Claimed conditions

hypertension, chronic interstitial lung disease, photophobia and vitreous floaters, left knee disability, residuals of left thigh gunshot wound, left thigh gunshot wound scar, left shoulder disability, bilateral foot condition (plantar fasciitis), sleep apnea, hemorrhoids, lumbosacral strain with osteoarthritis lumbar spine, scoliosis and intervertebral disc syndrome

How they argued it

Presumptive (no nexus needed)

Exposure basis

Agent Orange / herbicides

Rating assigned

10%

Decision date

January 28, 2025

Citation

A25007648

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine