The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated as 100 percent disabling in combination, including post-traumatic stress disorder, low back disorder, and diabetes mellitus. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's impairment from diabetic neuropathy effectively renders him without the use of his lower extremities, necessitating the use of a wheelchair for locomotion.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic neuropathy, render him unable to walk unassisted and require the use of a wheelchair.
- Claimed conditions
- post-traumatic stress disorder, low back disorder, residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right ankle, diabetes mellitus, amputation of the fourth and fifth toes of the right foot, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetic retinopathy, residuals of a fracture of the third, fourth and fifth ribs, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2008
- Citation
- 0830548
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 0830548.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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