The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when taken together, prevent him from securing or following a 'substantially gainful' occupation given his prior vocational history and the impact of his service-connected right foot disabilities (i.e., pes planus, hallux valgus, and hallux rigidus), left foot disability(status post fracture with hallux valgus), back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right foot and back scars, and GERD, when taken together, have on obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful non-sedentary employment and sedentary employment, including in his past employment as a police officer.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a 'substantially gainful' occupation due to the overall impairment they have on his body and mind, including pain, ringing in ears, difficulty communicating due to hearing loss and tinnitus, limited mobility and strength, and problems with concentration and interaction.
- Claimed conditions
- right foot pes planus, right foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux rigidus, left foot disability (status post fracture with hallux valgus), right knee disorder, left knee disorder, back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right foot scar, back scar, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 10, 2024
- Citation
- 24015514
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 24015514.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
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