The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from performing sedentary employment, and the Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against his claim for a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that due to the Veteran's joint conditions with his bilateral shoulders and knees, it would be difficult for him to perform any physical activity. The Veteran has at least a high school education, served for over 20 years in the military, and then was employed for approximately 13 years as a supervisor at a water treatment plant with no concessions due to disability being necessary.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee replacement, total right knee replacement, diabetes mellitus, bilateral tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, right and left knee scars, dyshydration of the hands and feet, bilateral biceps tendonitis, residuals of a right inguinal herniorrhaphy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- March 15, 2013
- Citation
- 1308829
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 1308829.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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