The Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected back and heart disabilities from August 25, 2014, to March 21, 2016.
The deciding factor: The combined rating of the Veteran's service-connected conditions resulted in a disability picture that precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, Right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy associated with degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, Left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy associated with degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, Coronary artery disease (CAD), Anemia, Right knee osteoarthritis, Hypertension, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Stricture of esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- July 19, 2023
- Citation
- 23039707
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 23039707.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance from June 1, 2011, to May 24, 2017, finding that his need for regular aid and attendance was not established during this period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's current coronary artery disease with acute, subacute, or old myocardial infarction with coronary stent is being remanded for further evaluation due to the lack of a medical nexus between his service-connected hypertension and his heart condition.
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