The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating prior to May 6, 2014, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran worked as a targetry engineer and had reasonable accommodations made for his disabilities, indicating he was able to maintain employment despite his conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- arteriosclerotic heart disease, sleep apnea, BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), left shoulder injury with residuals, bilateral plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease, left knee degenerative arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist, carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left leg radiculopathy, left elbow epicondylitis, right elbow epicondylitis, left wrist tenosynovitis, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, status post umbilical hernia repair, scar, status post back fusion surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20004331
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 an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- 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.
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