The Veteran's service-connected disabilities made it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 29, 2012.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to perform the physical demands of most jobs and required frequent breaks from sitting due to pain in his back.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hand, Back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19124728
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (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 19124728.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various knee and back disabilities, as well as radiculopathy in the right lower extremity (RLE) and left lower extremity (LLE), have been granted. Service connection is also granted for a right hip disability secondary to his back disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee, back, and left elbow disabilities due to inadequate examinations. The AOJ is directed to obtain medical opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's disabilities during the relevant period on appeal.
- Denied
An initial disability rating of 40 percent, but no more, for a back disability effective September 2, 2018 is granted.,An initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for a left shoulder disability is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that a combined effects opinion is necessary to sufficiently address the Veteran's claim for TDIU.
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