The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine, cervical spondylosis, right shoulder osteoarthritis, bilateral radiculopathy, and right foot hammertoes, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine conditions and related radiculopathies, combined with the effects of his cervical spine, right foot hammertoes, and right shoulder disabilities, have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine, Cervical spondylosis, Right shoulder osteoarthritis, Bilateral radiculopathy, Right foot hammertoes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- December 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19192871
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,199 · Granted: 25% (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 19192871.
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 the readjudication of the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, but denied the claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and breathing condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cervical spondylosis, right ankle disability, and upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities are being remanded for additional examinations to determine their severity prior to September 6, 2024.,The Veteran's right lateral epicondylitis (limitation of pronation) and painful motion disabilities are also being remanded for additional examination to assess their severity prior to September 6, 2024. Effective dates will be granted upon resolution of these issues.
- Denied
The Veteran's application for PCAFC was denied because the evidence did not show that he needed personal care services due to an inability to perform ADLs or a need for supervision, protection, or instruction. The November 2022 decision by the VA found that his needs were temporary and would resolve within six months.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for his lumbar spine disability from 40% to 40%, effective August 31, 2020. The reduction was improper due to lack of actual improvement in the Veteran's condition.
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