The appellant's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: VA medical professionals and the SSA records indicate that the appellant's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining employment due to their impact on his physical abilities, particularly in relation to prolonged sitting, standing, and rotating of his neck and feet.
- Claimed conditions
- hallux abductor valgus with calcaneal spurs and hammer toes, inflammatory arthritis, gout, degenerative joint disease thoracic and lumbar spines with degenerative disc disease, chronic lymphedema of the left and right lower extremities, residuals of chronic cervical strain, cavernous hemangioma of the liver with persistently elevated liver function tests due to exposure to hepatitis B and C
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 24, 2012
- Citation
- 1214795
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 1214795.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hallux abductor valgus with calcaneal spurs, inflammatory arthritis, gout, degenerative joint disease of the thoracic and lumbar spines, chronic lymphedema of both lower extremities, chronic strain of the left foot associated with hallux abductor valgus, foot strain of the right foot associated with hallux abductor valgus, and residuals of chronic cervical strain, result in unemployability. The case is being remanded for further consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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