The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with his pending claims for increased ratings and entitlement to service connection. The case will be referred to the Director, Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined evaluation does not meet the schedular requirements for an award of individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities but is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment by reason of service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease, anxiety disorder, left wrist sprain, left knee chondromalacia, right knee chondromalacia, chronic gastritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19107195
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for depression, PTSD, and an anxiety disorder due to the lack of a current diagnosis.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for anxiety disorder and denied service connection for hearing loss. The claims for service connection for GERD, right ankle limitations, and sinusitis were remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right wrist sprain due to a pre-decision duty-to-assist error, specifically the absence of a medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board dismissed the appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) and remanded several issues related to increased ratings for various disabilities.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.