The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU, as his combined rating is less than 70% and he has sufficient additional service-connected disability to bring the combined rating to 50%. The evidence does not show that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined evaluation of 50% for stricture of the esophagus and prepyloric gastritis with duodenal diverticulum does not meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).
- Claimed conditions
- stricture of the esophagus, prepyloric gastritis with duodenal diverticulum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- February 18, 2015
- Citation
- 1507126
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 1507126.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for esophageal disability, including hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stricture of the esophagus, gastritis, and eosinophilic esophagitis. The decision finds that the Veteran's symptoms began during active service and have continued since then.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for eosinophilic esophagitis, stricture of the esophagus and hiatal hernia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected stricture of the esophagus prior to August 31, 2015, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claim for a gastrointestinal disability to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors and ensure adequate medical evidence is provided.
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