The Board denied the Veteran's claim for VR&E services due to his meeting the threshold requirements for entitlement but not having an employment handicap, as determined by a VA counseling psychologist (CP) or VRC.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have an employment handicap and was therefore not entitled to VR&E benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Nephropathy associated with essential hypertension, Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with asthma, Type II diabetes mellitus, Right shoulder supraspinatus tendonitis and bicipital tendonitis, Left knee arthritis (flexion), partial ACL tear and status post left knee arthroscopy, Intervertebral disc syndrome, mid-thoracic degenerative disc disease, lumbar disc bulge, Right lower extremity (RLE) neuropathy, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Right knee patellofemoral syndrome, status post right knee arthroscopy, Residual scars, status post right achilles tendon repair, Essential hypertension, Residuals, status post right inguinal hernia repair, Residual scar, status post right inguinal hernia repair, Residuals, status post spermatocele removal, Erectile dysfunction and left testicular atrophy, Residual scar, status post left knee arthroscopy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2024
- Citation
- A24030802
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 A24030802.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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