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Denied

The appellant's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The deciding factor: VA medical examinations have concluded that the appellant's service-connected disabilities, without regard to any nonservice-connected disabilities, do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

Claimed conditions
{"conditionName":"Obstructive Sleep Apnea","rating":50}, {"conditionName":"Chronic Lumbar Strain","rating":20}, {"conditionName":"Residuals of a Second Metacarpal Phalangeal Joint Fracture with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation","rating":10}, {"conditionName":"Tinnitus","rating":10}, {"conditionName":"Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)","rating":10}, {"conditionName":"Surgical Scar with Adhesions Associated with the Second Metacarpal Phalangeal Joint Fracture","rating":10}, {"conditionName":"Recurrent Sinusitis","rating":10}, {"conditionName":"Bilateral Hammertoes","rating":0}, {"conditionName":"Bilateral Shin Splints","rating":0}, {"conditionName":"Status Post Corn Removal, Left Fifth Toe","rating":0}, {"conditionName":"Keloid Scar of the Left Shoulder","rating":0}, {"conditionName":"Tension Headaches","rating":10}, {"conditionName":"Tinea Pedis","rating":0}
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
70%
Decision date
December 7, 2016
Citation
1645838

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 1645838.

What this means for you

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