The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from April 7, 2010 to July 22, 2016. The Board found that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and evidence did not indicate that the Veteran was rendered unable to obtain or maintain employment as a registered nurse due to his service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, right ankle disability, and tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (cervical spine), Left shoulder impingement syndrome with bicipital and rotator cuff tendonitis, Degenerative joint disease in the right ankle, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19188814
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 19188814.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of jurisdiction.
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