The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following all types of substantially gainful occupation, but his nonservice-connected back disability limits his ability to work.
The deciding factor: VA examination and medical records indicate that the Veteran's nonservice-connected back disability renders him severely disabled and unable to engage in any form of employment.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary atherosclerosis, status post pacemaker placement with right bundle branch block (heart disability), type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2012
- Citation
- 1211931
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 1211931.
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 claims for service connection for a back disorder, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes mellitus due to errors in development of the claim.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to readjudicate his claims for service connection for coronary atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus type II, but has remanded the cases due to new evidence received. The claims are being remanded for toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) medical opinions regarding any possible nexus between the Veteran's claimed exposures in Camp Lejeune and his conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.,Given the grant of TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD, the Veteran has a single service-connected disability rated as total (PTSD) and additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all appeals regarding his service-connected conditions and related disability ratings, effective as of March 16, 2026.
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