The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since March 30, 2020. The Board has granted a TDIU for this period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's severe disabilities, including his head and neck cancer residuals, heart condition, diabetes, depression, vertigo, dysphagia, malnutrition, aphonia, aspiration pneumonia, thyroid disability, salivary gland destruction, chronic allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, dry mouth, loss of teeth, chronic aspirational pneumonia requiring 24/7 oxygen therapy, and other disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of squamous cell carcinoma (head and neck cancer), status post-radiation therapy, heart condition, type II diabetes, hypertension, major depressive disorder, vertigo, pharyngoesophageal dysphagia with laryngitis, malnutrition, aphonia residuals associated with tonsillectomy, aspiration pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2023
- Citation
- 23058125
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 23058125.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to military noise exposure during service.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, gastrointestinal (GI) disability, and vertigo are remanded for further examination and opinion.
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