The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and thus denied his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus is remanded for issuance of a statement of the case.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, as evidenced by his self-reported employment history and current occupation as a truck driver.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder, low back strain, left knee strain, right knee strain, bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, status post gunshot wound to the right thigh, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2014
- Citation
- 1416819
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 1416819.
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.
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The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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