The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not prevent him from maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to non-service connected conditions, such as his renal failure requiring dialysis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are rated at a combined 70%, meeting the schedular criteria for TDIU. However, the evidence does not support a finding of unemployability solely due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- chondromalacia of the right knee, chondromalacia of the left knee, fracture of the right fifth metacarpal
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 30, 2015
- Citation
- 1504646
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 1504646.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chondromalacia of the left knee, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within the presumptive period after service. The Board also noted that her medical discharge from service was due to pes planus and not any left knee condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to need regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed as moot.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his combined schedular ratings did not meet the threshold requirement for consideration of TDIU. The case was remanded multiple times and ultimately denied again.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the lack of a VA examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine if there is a link between the Veteran's current disabilities and his active service.
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