The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational background and occupational experience. Therefore, the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders are not met.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that no major limitations were detected on the physical examination that could interfere with the veteran's physical capacity to work at his occupation of accountant.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar laminectomy, lumbar paravertebral myositis with degenerative joint disease, bilateral L4, L5, S1 lumbar polyradiculopathy, duodenal ulcer disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2008
- Citation
- 0803544
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0803544.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine disability prior to January 9, 2020 and from January 9, 2020 onwards due to insufficient discussion of the ameliorative effects of medications used by the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, and lumbar laminectomy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for his lumbar spine disability and bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities have been dismissed due to his explicit, unambiguous requests to withdraw these appeals.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions on whether the inguinal hernia is related to service or if it was aggravated by a pre-existing duodenal ulcer disease.
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