The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied as the evidence did not support his contention that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected conditions, while disabling, do not render him unemployable given their impact on his ability to work and perform daily activities.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Mild Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Radiculopathy and Diabetic Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity, Diabetic Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Abdominal Wall Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19177775
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety was granted a 70 percent evaluation since March 6, 2023, but the claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 30 percent prior to that date was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's liver cancer and hepatitis C are related to his active service, including exposure to agent orange.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves, with effective dates from March 15, 2013. The Board also granted a TDIU and DEA based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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