The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following some type of substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a combined rating of 80 percent for his service-connected conditions, which is less than the minimum required (60%) to meet the schedular criteria for TDIU. The VA examiners found that none of the disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondral lesion of left knee, Major depressive disorder, Cervical strain, Cellulitis, Left elbow chronic synovitis, Patellofemoral joint syndrome, right knee, Tinnitus, Tinea cruris and onychomycosis, Fracture of left ankle with degenerative joint disease, Right ankle degenerative joint disease, Chondral lesion of left knee (status post arthroscopy, chondroplasty, and microfracture procedure), Fracture of right fifth metacarpal (little finger) with deformity, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2012
- Citation
- 1205088
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 1205088.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
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