The Veteran's application for individual unemployability benefits has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left hand and right hand, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, peripheral neuropathy of the right foot and left foot, and degenerative disc disease. The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran has multiple medical problems including diabetes mellitus type 2, polyneuropathy, degenerative arthritis of multiple joints, chronic low back pain, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gastroesophageal reflux disease, and a history of colitis. The examiner opined that the Veteran is unemployable for a strenuous job and even for a sedentary job.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Degenerative joint disease status post left knee meniscectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 13, 2015
- Citation
- 1501530
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 1501530.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for DEA benefits is granted as May 1, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability and right leg radiculopathy are granted service connection, but left leg radiculopathy is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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