The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, despite some functional impact on his physical capability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease, L5-S1, Painful Laceration Scar, Right Shin with Acute Osteomyelitis, Peripheral Neuropathy, Left Lower Extremity, Peripheral Neuropathy, Right Lower Extremity, Laceration Scar, Right Shin With Acute Osteomyelitis, Residuals, Acute Left Shoulder Separation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20078915
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20078915.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for left hip disability and peripheral neuropathy due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining medical records and an adequate VA examination.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted higher ratings for peripheral neuropathy in the right and left upper extremities and lower extremities, but denied a higher rating for diabetes mellitus type II.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to underlying influenza type A, with contributing causes being chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The VA medical opinions found no direct nexus between the Veteran's COPD, CLL, or ARDS and toxic exposures other than herbicide agents during active duty service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, HTN, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to their secondary nature to his already service-connected schizophrenia.
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