The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment at any time during the period relevant to this appeal.
The deciding factor: VA examinations and testimony indicated that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, given his ability to perform sedentary work within his physical capabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, status post (s/p) left shoulder trauma with residual pain and limited range of motion, degenerative arthritis of the right hand, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, tinnitus, multiple disfiguring achrochordons of the neck, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand, burn scar on the left arm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- November 10, 2009
- Citation
- 0942931
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 0942931.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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