The appellant's service-connected postoperative residuals of anal fistula and pseudofolliculitis barbae render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, as his other disabilities (including diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, gout, dyslipidemia, severe osteoarthritis status post bilateral knee replacements, right shoulder arthroplasty, chronic low back pain, and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine) make him unemployable.
The deciding factor: The appellant's service-connected disabilities (anal fistula and pseudofolliculitis barbae) are rated at 60% combined with other non-service-connected disabilities that render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Postoperative residuals of anal fistula"}, {"condition_name":"Pseudofolliculitis barbae"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- September 11, 2006
- Citation
- 0628683
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 0628683.
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
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