The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected erectile dysfunction was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 60 percent for his service-connected amputation of the left forearm pronator teres.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities were granted effective August 1, 2014. He also has a claim for an earlier effective date which is being remanded.,The Veteran's new claim for service connection for heart condition was denied. His hypertension, COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, prostate cancer, and tinnitus claims are all pending.,A total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is also being remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was denied as there is no evidence of penis deformity or physical deformity of the penis that would be analogous to ED.,The Veteran's amputation of the left forearm pronator teres claim was denied as his major extremity is his right hand and the site of the amputation is below the insertion of the pronator teres muscle of the left upper extremity. Absent evidence of an amputation at a higher level, the criteria for a higher evaluation have not been met.,The Veteran's radiculopathy claims were implicitly denied in the March 7, 2012 rating decision and are deemed final. The effective date was corrected to August 1, 2014 to reflect the date of the claim.,The Veteran's heart condition claim is pending as it has not been adjudicated yet.,The hypertension, COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, prostate cancer, and tinnitus claims are all pending as they have not been adjudicated yet.,A total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is also being remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- erectile dysfunction, amputation of the left forearm pronator teres, depressive disorder, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obstructive sleep apnea, prostate cancer, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2018
- Citation
- 18155176
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 18155176.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.