The appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder rotator cuff tear with post-traumatic arthritis is dismissed. The claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined schedular rating did not meet the minimum schedular criteria for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Board found that his education and employment history made him a competitive candidate for various types of employment, including sedentary work.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder rotator cuff tear with post-traumatic arthritis, tinnitus, ruptured left tympanic membrane, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26025418
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 A26025418.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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