The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran is employed in a full-time position as an applications engineer and has successfully completed the education necessary for this field. His employer provides accommodations such as office space for panic attacks and assistance with physical tasks due to his disabilities, but these are considered standard workplace accommodations rather than protected environments.
- Claimed conditions
- panic disorder, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome with bruxism, right ankle traumatic arthritis, right ring and middle finger fractures, left knee traumatic arthritis, right knee traumatic arthritis, left ankle pain and instability, hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19147388
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 remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for panic disorder, OSA, and hypertension as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for diabetes mellitus was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for hemorrhoids due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an additional direct medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating greater than 30 percent for service-connected psychiatric disabilities prior to November 1, 2023, as the AOJ has not adjudicated the Veteran's September 2023 supplemental claim in the first instance.
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