The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, as he is shown to be employed fulltime as a police officer earning over $67,000 per year.
The deciding factor: The weight of the evidence does not support finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment because he remains employed fulltime as a police officer with an annual income well above the poverty threshold for one person.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Left shoulder strain, Tinnitus, Right knee patellofemoral syndrome, Left knee patellofemoral syndrome with DJD, Kidney stone (noncompensable), Right knee scar (noncompensable), Non-allergic rhinitis (noncompensable)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25045613
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 Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
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