The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and follow gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran maintains full-time employment despite his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with alcohol and marijuana dependence which results in occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD with alcohol and marijuana dependence, pseudofolliculitis barbae, painful scars of the chest area associated with pseudofolliculitis barbae, tinnitus, linear scars associated with pseudofolliculitis barbae
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18139918
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 18139918.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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