The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, as his mobility issues are compensated by the assigned ratings for his disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not interfere with his ability to sit for prolonged periods of time, which is necessary for substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- shell fragment wound, left posterior thigh with neuropathy of the left posterior cutaneous nerve, residuals of shrapnel wound, left ankle, lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, rheumatoid arthritis (indicated by radiculopathy of the right lower extremity), left ankle, residuals of shrapnel wound, scar, left thigh, scar, lower left ankle, scar, right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- November 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21068813
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 21068813.
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 Board denied the veteran's appeals for service connection due to untimely filings.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and right hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's now service-connected knee disabilities, but denied service connection for a variety of other conditions including bilateral ankle, shoulder, foot, mood disorder, tinnitus, hyperlipidemia, and knees.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral foot and ankle conditions to correct a duty to assist error, requiring medical opinions on their relationship to the Veteran's service.
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