The Veteran's death was not due to service or a service-connected disability. The appellant is receiving the maximum DIC benefits and no additional compensation under PACT Act for Agent Orange exposure is warranted.
The deciding factor: No additional compensation is warranted as the PACT Act does not expand the universe of benefits available or increase compensation rates where Agent Orange exposure has already been conceded and benefits already awarded.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder, coronary artery disease (CAD), headaches, residuals of a gunshot wound affecting muscle group XXI, Horner's syndrome, scar on the right thigh, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26002953
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 A26002953.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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