The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for VR&E benefits as he is successfully pursuing a Juris Doctor degree and has transferable skills that make him suitable for employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have an employment handicap due to his service-connected disabilities, which are overcome by his education and work experience.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/unspecified depressive disorder/alcohol use disorder/sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic use disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left shoulder dislocation residuals and osteoarthritis, right shoulder dislocation residuals, right knee meniscal tear/shin splints/internal derangement residuals/degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral strain/degenerative disc disease/facet arthrosis, left hip strain/thigh impairment, right hip strain/thigh impairment, left knee shin splints and degenerative arthritis, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19196621
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 19196621.
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 tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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