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Whole decision: Denied

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.

The deciding factor: The combined disability rating is less than 70% and does not include at least one disability rated at 40% or more, nor does it have sufficient additional service-connected disabilities to bring the combined rating to 70% or more.

Claimed conditions
lumbar ankylosing spondylitis, cervical spine ankylosing spondylitis
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
September 9, 2009
Citation
0933807

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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0933807.

What this means for you

A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.

What you can do next

Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

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