The Board found that the veteran does not have an employment handicap and is already suitably employed, thus denying his claim for vocational rehabilitation training.
The deciding factor: VA counseling psychologists determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not impair his ability to prepare for, obtain, or retain employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease with a small hiatal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 19, 2004
- Citation
- 0428713
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 0428713.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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