The Veteran's combined disability rating of 70 percent, including his service-connected diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy, met the schedular criteria for a TDIU effective February 11, 2004. The issue is now moot as of April 20, 2016 when the Veteran's combined disability rating reached 100 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy, prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment beginning on February 11, 2004.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, tinea pedis and onychomycosis of the feet, chronic headaches, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a fracture to the left nasal bones
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 7, 2017
- Citation
- 1711329
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 1711329.
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 appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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