The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his anxiety disorder and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his back and radiculopathy conditions, preclude physical employment and result in cognitive impairments that impact the mental acts required by both physical and sedentary employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Anxiety Disorder, Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Dermatitis, Gastritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 10, 2018
- Citation
- 18156391
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 18156391.
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
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The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, except for a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral strain.
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The Board denied a higher rating for hypertension but granted a 10% rating for the left (minor) long/middle finger, while denying compensable ratings for the other fingers and dermatitis.
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