The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him incapable of performing the physical and mental acts required by employment prior to January 29, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lower back pain significantly impacted his ability to engage in his job as a plumber, and cognitive impairment affected his memory and concentration, making it impossible for him to perform substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic brain injury, Lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, Post-traumatic skull fracture with residual grand mal seizure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- May 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19139456
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,421 · 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 19139456.
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 Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. Service connection was denied for a groin condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 10, 2010, for the award of special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance due to residuals of traumatic brain injury under 38 U.S.C. 1114(t) is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied an increased rating for right knee patellar tendinitis and has remanded the issue of service connection for a traumatic brain injury.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are granted as of August 8, 2020 due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder preventing him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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