The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Raynaud's disease and rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder, are found to be severe enough to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his Raynaud's disease affecting his hands and feet, and rheumatoid arthritis in both shoulders and neck, have resulted in significant functional impairment that precludes him from performing the physical and mental acts required by employment as a carpenter.
- Claimed conditions
- Raynaud's disease, rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine, rheumatoid arthritis of the right shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis of the left shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- August 6, 2002
- Citation
- 0209196
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 0209196.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for costochondritis, bronchial asthma, loss of teeth, and Raynaud's disease due to a procedural defect in the Notice of Disagreement.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a failure by the VA contractor to provide an examination at a time when the Veteran could attend.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of various body parts due to in-service exposure to hazardous materials, as an addendum opinion is needed.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left wrist, right elbow, and left elbow disabilities, as well as an initial compensable rating for left knee osteoarthritis and Raynaud's disease.
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