The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine, right knee limited motion, right knee instability, right knee scar, and right hip, precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 19, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether he was unemployable due to these disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from performing his job as a barber and resulted in reduced work hours and eventual cessation of employment.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine, right knee limited motion, right knee instability, right knee scar, right hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2017
- Citation
- 1708149
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 1708149.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal as to the issues of entitlement to increased disability ratings for left foot metatarsalgia, tinnitus, left wrist disability, right foot plantar warts, and for service connection for right foot plantar warts at a September 2024 hearing. Service connection was granted for migraines.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to April 17, 2019, for the grants of service connection for right knee instability, right knee tendonitis, and right femur fracture are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability associated with degenerative arthritis is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee limitation of motion associated with tendonitis with degenerative arthritis is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's service connection claims for left ankle, right ankle, right hand, and left hand conditions are denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right hip condition is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left hip condition is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left wrist condition is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right wrist condition is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the July 2024 fee decision is incomplete and does not properly identify the full issue at the center of the present appeal, including the specific amount of past-due benefits awarded and the amount withheld for fees. The case is therefore being remanded to provide a corrected fee decision.
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