The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, PTSD with depressive features, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The combined disability rating of 80% does not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU as one disability must be rated at least 40%, with sufficient additional disability to bring the combined rating to 70%. The Veteran's disabilities do not preclude him from multiple areas of employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Posttraumatic stress disorder with depressive features, Diabetes mellitus, Diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20005493
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 Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's most recent claim was filed on May 23, 2017.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of ischemic heart disease and diabetes, and these claims are dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding no evidence that his death was related to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
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