The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since April 1, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his service-connected conditions make it impossible for him to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities including obstructive sleep apnea, thoracolumbar spine disability, prostate cancer residuals, cervical spine disability, tinnitus, hypertension, GERD, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral shoulder arthritis, bilateral hip arthritis, bilateral degenerative joint disease of the knees, and orthopedic and neurological impairments that collectively render him unemployable.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, thoracolumbar spine disability, prostate cancer residuals, cervical spine disability, tinnitus, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral shoulder arthritis, bilateral hip arthritis, bilateral degenerative joint disease of the knees, residuals of a rib fracture, bilateral cataracts, scars of the chest and left arm, toe fungus, erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- November 7, 2018
- Citation
- 18148523
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 18148523.
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.
- 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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- 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.
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