The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when combined, meet the criteria for a TDIU. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (Anxiety disorder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, tinnitus, left shoulder radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss) combine to meet the percentage requirements for TDIU. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his psychiatric symptoms, combined with his physical disabilities, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- Anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified, Degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine with left radiculopathy, Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, Tinnitus, Left shoulder radiculopathy associated with degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, Bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 21, 2011
- Citation
- 1102479
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 1102479.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his low back disability is being remanded due to the reduction in evaluation from 40 percent to 20 percent effective May 31, 2014. The RO needs to provide updated VA treatment records and schedule a VA examination to determine the current severity of the disability.
- Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
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