The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 19, 2016.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was employed full-time by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) until he voluntarily retired in October 2011 and subsequently employed part-time by a private company from April 2014 to approximately March 19, 2016. The conflicting evidence regarding his job duties and accommodations due to his service-connected disabilities did not support finding that he was precluded from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 19, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- dyshidrosis of the hands, arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, tinnitus, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, hemorrhoids, right supraorbital ridge scar, bilateral hearing loss, left knee medial collateral ligament tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- October 15, 2021
- Citation
- 21063639
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 21063639.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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