The Veteran's combined disability rating is at most 50 percent, which does not meet the threshold requirements for TDIU. The evidence of record indicates that the Veteran had the capability to obtain and maintain substantial gainful employment during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined disability rating (30% as of February 4, 2011; 50% as of August 16, 2011) does not meet the threshold requirements for TDIU (70% or more), and there is no evidence to support a finding that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar degenerative disc disease, L5-S1 lumbar fusion, Lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19101642
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,329 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19101642.
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 has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acute kidney failure and lumbar degenerative disc disease, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine arthritis, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, and lumbar degenerative disc disease. The Veteran's conditions are deemed to have been incurred during his active military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service connection for CTS, left, is granted. The claim for a separate disability manifested by left hand pain that is distinct from CTS, left, is denied due to lack of evidence supporting such a condition.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease but denied an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and service connection for generalized anxiety disorder.
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