The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his TDIU award, finding that he was not precluded from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 19, 2016.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantial gainful occupation prior to December 19, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21008340
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 21008340.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection were dismissed due to his death.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus condition was aggravated by service. The effective date is August 15, 2025.
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