The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury and other conditions such as narcolepsy, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic sinusitis, tension headaches, right shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome, lower back strain, cervical neck strain, bilateral plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, right 4th metacarpal fracture with scar, allergic rhinitis, shin splints of the left and right lower extremities, right eye strabismus, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for the appeal period prior to August 13, 2019.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury and other conditions such as narcolepsy, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic sinusitis, tension headaches, right shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome, lower back strain, cervical neck strain, bilateral plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, right 4th metacarpal fracture with scar, allergic rhinitis, shin splints of the left and right lower extremities, right eye strabismus, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for the appeal period prior to August 13, 2019.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury, Narcolepsy, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Sinusitis, Tension Headaches, Right Shoulder Strain with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Left Shoulder Strain with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Lower Back Strain, Cervical Neck Strain, Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis, Tinnitus, Right 4th Metacarpal Fracture with Scar, Allergic Rhinitis, Shin Splints of the Left Lower Extremity, Shin Splints of the Right Lower Extremity, Right Eye Strabismus, Left Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Right Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 11, 2023
- Citation
- A23028067
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 A23028067.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
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The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
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The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
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