The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating was denied by the Board, as his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 25, 2005.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had 12 years of education and work experience as an electronics mechanic. His service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from maintaining employment until May 25, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) of the thoracolumbar spine, DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) of the cervical spine, Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee, Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2012
- Citation
- 1241565
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 1241565.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, ocular migraines, neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, bilateral shoulder disability, low back disability, and Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee. The Board found no evidence that these conditions were related to active service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) because the Veteran's single service-connected left knee disability, rated at 30% and later 40%, does not meet the criteria for TDIU under schedular or extraschedular standards. The appeal is based on his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his left knee disability.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% and his Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee, flexion, is restored to a 10% rating. The increased ratings for PTSD and extension of the right knee are being remanded.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for onychomycosis of the right and left great toes has been dismissed. The appeals for service connection regarding DDD of the cervical spine, residuals of Epstein-Barr virus, residuals of inguinal hernia repair, chronic joint damage, and heart condition are all remanded.
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