The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and residuals of a left wrist fracture) do not preclude him from maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience. The Board finds that the evidence does not support entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while disabling, do not prevent him from engaging in sedentary work as he has worked for over 35 years and retired due to age or duration of work, not his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, residuals of a left wrist fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2012
- Citation
- 1224412
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 1224412.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left wrist fracture, bilateral hearing loss, Type II diabetes, bilateral glaucoma, OSA, cervical disc herniation, and other musculoskeletal issues are denied.,Service connection is not established for any of the claimed conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim for TDIU prior to October 18, 2018 due to a lack of evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other spontaneous pneumothorax status post thoracotomy is rated as 100% disabling since February 28, 2024. His major depressive disorder is separately rated at 70%. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted an annual clothing allowance for the use of a manual wheelchair during the 2022 calendar year due to wear and tear on his clothing caused by the wheelchair.
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