The Veteran's claims for separate ratings for neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities secondary to service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent prior to March 4, 2015 and 40 percent thereafter for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint and disc disease has been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has been granted.
The deciding factor: There is no competent evidence showing a current neurological disability related to the service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities. The only diagnosed condition is meralgia paresthetica, which is likely due to the Veteran’s morbid obesity.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.,Further development is needed as the Veteran has asserted that his bilateral knee disabilities have increased in severity.
- Claimed conditions
- Neurological disability of upper extremities, Neurological disability of lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19147664
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,017 · Granted: 36% (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 19147664.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 determined that additional development is necessary due to the need for SSA records, VA examinations, and further analysis of the Veteran's claims.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.