The Veteran's combined disability rating is less than the required 70 percent for pension eligibility, and his disabilities do not render him unemployable.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a total combined disability rating of 40 percent, which does not meet the requirement of at least one disability rated at 40 percent or more with additional non-service-connected disabilities to bring the combined disability rating to 70 percent or more for pension eligibility. His disabilities do not render him unemployable.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Strain, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Emphysema, Grade I Systolic Dysfunction, Hypertension, Hepatitis, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, Tinea Pedis (Bilateral)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2014
- Citation
- 1416725
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 1416725.
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 the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 10% rating for hypertension effective December 1, 2025 and denied a rating in excess of 10%. The reduction from 10% to noncompensable was not proper.
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