The veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The RO found that the veteran had over 30 different jobs since separation, and thus could not conclusively state whether his service-connected disabilities alone or combined with non-service connected disorders preclude him from being able to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Diamond and Black Rule, Diabetes Mellitus, Residuals of a Gunshot Wound to the Left Shoulder, Traumatic Arthritis of the Left Shoulder, Traumatic Arthritis of the Cervical Spine, Residuals of a Gunshot Wound to the Right Shoulder, Fracture of the Left Tibia, Contusion to the Left Lung
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- April 20, 2004
- Citation
- 0410207
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 0410207.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence of the severity required for higher ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
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