The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cold injury residuals and peripheral vascular disease, do not preclude his participation in all forms of substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The veteran's age and nonservice-connected conditions (arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, retinitis pigmentosa) are deemed more significant factors for unemployability than the service-connected disabilities alone.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of Cold Injury to Right Foot, Residuals of Cold Injury to Left Foot, Residuals of Cold Injury to Right Hand, Residuals of Cold Injury to Left Hand, Residuals of Cold Injury to Right Ear, Residuals of Cold Injury to Left Ear, Peripheral Vascular Disease of Right Lower Extremity, Peripheral Vascular Disease of Left Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2002
- Citation
- 0202634
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0202634.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection of a breast disorder is dismissed. The claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded due to lack of evidence supporting the claim. Other issues remain remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities, and peripheral vascular disease were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 50 percent rating, effective from the date of his death. Increased ratings for residuals of cold injuries to bilateral lower extremities are granted and earlier effective dates are denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her service-connected cold injury residuals to both feet were denied as the evidence did not show that she required medical care or treatment for these conditions, and no compensable evaluation was warranted.
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