The veteran's service connected disabilities, including dysthymia and bilateral foot impairments, are sufficient to produce unemployability without regard to advancing age. The Board finds that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence on the issue of whether the veteran's service connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The veteran has severe service-connected dysthymia, moderate impairment due to bilateral foot disabilities, and multiple non-service connected disabilities that affect his ability to work. The Board finds an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding the impact of these conditions on his employability.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymia, Achilles tendonitis of the right foot, Achilles tendonitis of the left foot, hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- July 14, 2003
- Citation
- 0315751
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 0315751.
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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The Board remands the claim for service connection for hemorrhoids due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an additional direct medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for hemorrhoids, which fully satisfies the Veteran's appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for vertigo, incontinence, and GERD due to the lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses. The claims for hematuria and hemorrhoids were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hemorrhoids, scars, low back disability, left ankle disability, left and right shoulder disabilities, and left and right hip disabilities as the evidence did not show that the Veteran had these conditions or related symptoms during the appeal period.
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