The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of total disability resulting in individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied as there was no evidence showing he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to July 25, 2003.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU cannot be granted because the preponderance of the evidence does not show that he was totally disabled by his service-connected disabilities within one year prior to July 25, 2003.
- Claimed conditions
- sarcoidosis of both lungs, residuals of chronic urethritis and prostatitis, lower back pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 30, 2009
- Citation
- 0911663
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 0911663.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back pain, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for lower back pain to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding its etiology.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance, as her need for assistance is not solely due to service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD due to personal trauma, denied an increased rating for tinnitus, and denied service connection for bipolar disorder, hemorrhoids, lower back pain, and left knee pain.
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