The veteran's service-connected disabilities are rated at 70 percent combined, meeting the threshold requirement for a total disability rating. However, he is not unemployable due to his service-connected conditions as there is no evidence that they prevent him from working in an indoor environment.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not demonstrate that the veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unable to work in an indoor environment or any other type of substantially gainful employment consistent with his occupational and educational background.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of cold injury to the left foot, residuals of cold injury to the right foot, residuals of cold injury to the right hand, residuals of cold injury to the nose, residuals of cold injury to the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 24, 2006
- Citation
- 0605282
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations of her feet and digestive system, as well as consideration of her service-connected disabilities during flare-ups.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hip arthritis and granted a 10 percent rating for residuals of cold injury to the right hand.
- Denied
The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cold injuries to both feet, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, do not preclude him from securing or following all forms of substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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