The veteran's claim for a total rating due to individual unemployability resulting from service-connected disabilities is granted. The issue of the timeliness of his appeal regarding the June 1998 increased rating decision for his left shoulder disability is dismissed.
The deciding factor: The veteran's combined service-connected disability rating meets the criteria for a TDIU, as his disabilities are rated at least 60% disabling and share a common etiology related to combat injuries. The timeliness of appeal issue was withdrawn by the veteran during his hearing before the Board.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder arthroplasty and rotator cuff repair with a gunshot wound to Muscle Group III, duodenal ulcer with antral gastritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0306630
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,175 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0306630.
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.
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- Denied
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- Denied
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- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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