The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for the TDIU award cannot be granted because the Veteran did not timely appeal the February 1981 rating decision denying his initial claims and filed a claim to reopen these claims on October 17, 2008. The earliest possible effective date he can receive is October 15, 2014.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's TDIU claim was received after the February 1981 rating decision denying his initial service connection claims and did not include a notice of disagreement or appeal to reopen these claims. The earliest possible effective date for the TDIU award is October 15, 2014.
- Claimed conditions
- Polyneuropathy of the right lower extremity, Polyneuropathy of the left lower extremity, Polyneuropathy of the right upper extremity, Polyneuropathy of the left upper extremity, Right knee arthritis, Left knee arthritis, status post total knee replacement
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- February 1, 2019
- Citation
- A19000057
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,454 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A19000057.
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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right leg/knee condition is related to service, including a preexisting condition. The Veteran provided testimony and new medical records that may be relevant.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as she withdrew her appeal prior to the Board making a decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis. The claims for PTSD and radiculopathy are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the severity of the Veteran's right knee conditions, specifically regarding the ameliorative effects of medications used for pain management. The case is being remanded to obtain a VA medical opinion addressing these issues.
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