The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right shoulder arthritis and impingement syndrome, left shoulder glenohumeral arthritis, lower back degenerative joint disease, and anxiety disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined disability rating of 70 percent from September 3, 2014; 80 percent from March 24, 2015; 90 percent from July 10, 2015; 100 percent from February 2019; and 90 percent from April 1, 2020, has made it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder arthritis and impingement syndrome, Left shoulder glenohumeral arthritis s/p reverse total arthoplasty (slap lesion, impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tears), Left elbow tendonitis, Right elbow tendonitis, Lower back degenerative joint disease, Right upper extremity paresthesia (poly neuropathy), Left upper extremity paresthesia, Left knee osteoarthritis, Right knee osteoarthritis, Left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lower back degenerative joint disease, Right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lower back degenerative joint disease, Anxiety disorder (also claimed as memory loss)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19180845
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 granted service connection for plantar fasciitis on the right and left foot, left and right ankle strain, left and right knee osteoarthritis, and left and right hip strain, all secondary to service-connected back and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities with weight gain/obesity as an intermediate step.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left and right knee osteoarthritis, and a TDIU prior to January 7, 2019.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected left forehead scar but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee osteoarthritis, and PTSD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent, but not in excess thereof, prior to April 9, 2012 for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and denied evaluations in excess of 20 percent from that date. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis were also denied.
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.