The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, considering the impairment from the disorders and his educational and employment history.
The deciding factor: The Veteran is currently employed full-time making car seats, which requires standing for long periods. His physical limitations are manageable with pain medication, and he has successfully completed training in graphic arts through VA Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease, left knee joint, Chronic right knee sprain, degenerative arthritis, Chronic right ankle sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 15, 2016
- Citation
- 1643466
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1643466.
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: Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sinusitis, granted service connection for tinnitus, and remanded claims related to the right ankle, low back, and residuals of a right triquetral fracture.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's chronic right ankle sprain is rated at 10 percent since June 5, 2020, and denied for an evaluation in excess of this level.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable since September 2021.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent prior to August 11, 2020. The Board granted a TDIU effective January 19, 2013.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right ankle sprains have been denied as the evidence does not show marked limitation of motion, with dorsiflexion or plantar flexion less than 5 degrees in either ankle.
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