The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to February 3, 2019, finding that he was capable of securing and following substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran had engaged in substantial gainful employment as a firefighter/paramedic until 2012 and later as a limo driver from October 2016 to February 2019, which is considered substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Right Shoulder Impingement, Residual Scar from Arthroscopic Surgery on Right Shoulder, Right Knee Disability, Right Knee Arthritis, Right Knee Instability, Hypertension, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Right Ear Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2023
- Citation
- 23022891
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 23022891.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support an etiological relationship between his current condition and his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
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