The Board restored the veteran's 20 percent rating for numbness of the left (minor) arm secondary to degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent. The Board also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not demonstrate severe incomplete paralysis such as to warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's left arm numbness, and his service-connected disabilities were insufficient to preclude participation in all forms of substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- numbness of the left (minor) arm secondary to degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, low back strain with dextrocurvature/degenerative joint disease, vertebral spurs of the cervical spine, asthma, headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0901503
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0901503.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
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