The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and vocational experience.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities, particularly his severe PTSD symptoms and physical impairments such as peripheral neuropathy and diabetes, render him unable to perform the physical demands of his prior maintenance work at a steel mill. His functional limitations also include significant impairment due to his PTSD symptoms, which limit his ability to interact with coworkers and leave home without his wife's assistance.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Diabetes mellitus, type II, Peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, Peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, 3 mm metallic foreign body in calf, status post wound and right shoulder status post shell fragment wound residual scar tissue
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19179277
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
- Granted
The Board granted a rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as the Veteran's symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
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