The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered in the aggregate, limit his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has ordered additional examination and opinion regarding this issue.
The deciding factor: The combined impact of all service-connected conditions limits the Veteran's occupational capacity.
- Claimed conditions
- pseudophakia, left eye, cataract right eye, ischemic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy right lower extremity associated with type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy left lower extremity associated with type II diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, hypertension associated with type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction associated with type II diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20067558
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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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