The Veteran's service-connected obstructive airway disease and scars do not substantially contribute to his impairment of employability, and he has overcome the effects of such impairment. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for vocational rehabilitation services.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's employment handicap is attributed primarily to a back injury that was not related to his service-connected conditions, which means it did not substantially contribute to his overall inability to find suitable employment.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive airway disease, scars of the head and face
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2010
- Citation
- 1031548
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1031548.
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: Dismissed
Your initial claim for a compensable disability rating for obstructive airway disease has been granted, and you are now receiving the maximum disability rating of 100 percent since January 12, 2018. The appeal is dismissed as moot because your condition has already been fully addressed.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, and that there is no sufficient evidence to support an extraschedular TDIU consideration.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant were denied due to her failure to report for the scheduled examinations without good cause.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there is not substantial compliance with the November 2016 Board remand regarding service connection for COPD. Therefore, another remand is required to obtain VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records, provide a respiratory condition examination, and schedule a hearing loss examination.
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