The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran is capable of performing work that would produce sufficient income to be other than marginal due to his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine, depression associated with it, and other service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of unspecified joints, chronic back disorder, intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2012
- Citation
- 1228464
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1228464.
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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, and the case is inextricably intertwined with his TDIU claim.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and depression, and a chronic back disorder, both for the purposes of accrued benefits only.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for TDIU, which the Board has decided to remand due to insufficient evidence of unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic back disorder and for TDIU, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.