The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 10 percent, effective May 26, 2004. From March 16, 2010 to April 17, 2015, the Veteran was granted a rating of 20 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy associated with his cervical spine disability. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including spondylolysis and degenerative disc disease, resulted in a combined range of motion that did not meet the criteria for higher ratings. The Board found that his left upper extremity radiculopathy warranted a separate rating of 20 percent from March 16, 2010 to April 17, 2015 due to incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least two weeks but less than four weeks during the past twelve months. The Board denied TDIU as his service-connected disabilities alone did not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- C5-C6 degenerative disc disease with spondylolysis, left cervical radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 16, 2017
- Citation
- 1752798
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 1752798.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, transient global amnesia, tinnitus, and PTSD have been denied. The Board has found that there is no competent evidence of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.,For the lumbar spine disability, the Veteran was granted service connection but a higher rating remains in dispute.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left cervical radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and a compensable rating for Hashimoto thyroiditis. The Veteran's asthma, non-allergic rhinitis, and right shoulder scars were rated as initially granted or denied based on the evidence of record.
- Partly granted
The Board denied or dismissed the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, higher ratings, and service connection for various conditions, with some grants of earlier effective dates and initial ratings.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome and associated left and right cervical radiculopathy, but remanded claims related to a disability rating for chronic lumbosacral strain and bilateral ankle conditions.
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