The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since August 28, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether he can secure and maintain such employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected sensory neuropathy of the left hand and associated depressive disorder have significantly impacted his ability to perform physical work with his hands and engage in tasks requiring repetitive or prolonged use of his hands, which are essential for many jobs. His depression has also affected his occupational functioning.
- Claimed conditions
- Sensory neuropathy of the left hand, Depressive disorder associated with sensory neuropathy of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- September 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20063482
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 20063482.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's sensory neuropathy of the left hand is found to be manifested by mild impairment due to incomplete paralysis of the median nerve, warranting a 10% evaluation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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