The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ulcerative colitis and left ankle degenerative joint disease with surgical fusion and ankylosis, are deemed to render him unemployable. The Board has granted TDIU on a schedular basis due to the combined rating of 90 percent for his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his left ankle disabilities, are found to be of such severity as to preclude employment.
- Claimed conditions
- ulcerative colitis, left ankle degenerative joint disease with surgical fusion and ankylosis, scars, status post left ankle fusion, residuals of a stab wound to the right hand, ulnar side involving the 5th digit, residuals of a stab wound to the right posterior chest, scar, residual of stab wound of the back, superficial scar, residual of stab wound of the back, scar, residual of stab wound of the hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18156432
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 18156432.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a colon condition, including as caused by herbicide agent exposure or secondary to his service-connected disabilities, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection on any basis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress and service connection for ulcerative colitis are being remanded due to the failure to obtain relevant medical records.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as the new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of establishing his entitlement to TDIU. The Board found that the VA treatment records generated in the year following the September 2017 rating decision were cumulative or redundant and did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis and remanded the claims of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and migraines secondary to insomnia.
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.