The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 22, 2017. The Board denied the TDIU claims as there was no single service-connected disability (excluding multiple myeloma rated 100%) rendering the Veteran unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 22, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's other service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable and he had no attempt at obtaining employment after retirement. The Board found that any functional impairment due to his musculoskeletal disabilities was not severe enough to preclude substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple Myeloma, Lumbar Spine Arthritis, Left Ankle Degenerative Arthritis, Right Knee Effusion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 19, 2023
- Citation
- 23003543
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 23003543.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's multiple myeloma is rated as noncompensable, and the Board has determined that the disability picture does not adequately contemplate his symptoms of fatigue. The VA examiner noted marked interference with employment due to fatigue. Therefore, the claim for an increased rating is remanded for consideration of extraschedular considerations.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by multiple myeloma, which is presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand during the Vietnam War. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death based on this presumption.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to December 2023 is remanded due to the presence of a 100% disability rating for multiple myeloma starting from December 21, 2023. The Board finds that the Veteran has not met the schedular criteria for a schedular TDIU rating and refers the case for extraschedular consideration.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fatigue, dizziness, and chronic kidney disease secondary to the Veteran's service-connected multiple myeloma due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.
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