The Veteran's combined disability rating is currently at 100%, but the Board finds that he has not been unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, as evidenced by his continued employment and participation in vocational rehabilitation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran consistently scored within normal range on cognitive tests throughout the appeal period and participated in vocational rehabilitation, indicating that his service-connected conditions do not significantly impair his employability.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, allergic rhinitis, cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis, cognitive disorder, right medial neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, right shoulder status post surgery, degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, GERD, tinnitus, hypertension, hemorrhoids, umbilical hernia, tongue mass
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18151470
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 18151470.
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 hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
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