The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left shoulder disability, intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative disc disease L5-S1, urinary frequency, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and tinnitus, do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that he is capable of full-time employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has maintained full-time employment throughout the period on appeal, earning substantially gainful income (in excess of $4,000 per month).
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Disability, Intervertebral Disc Syndrome with Degenerative Disc Disease L5-S1, Urinary Frequency, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity, Tinnitus, Right Ear Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- August 15, 2017
- Citation
- 1733191
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 1733191.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
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