The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee and hip conditions, were considered but did not render him unemployable for all physical or sedentary labor.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Knee Pain, Left Hip Pain, Degenerative Disc Disease (Lumbar Spine), Patellar Chondromalacia (Right Knee), Degenerative Joint Disease with Limited Extension of the Right Hip, Degenerative Joint Disease with Limited Extension of the Left Hip, Bilateral Foot Disorders (Plantar Fasciitis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20007142
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20007142.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is likely due to his service-connected lumbar spine and radiculopathy conditions, with tramadol use possibly causing the condition by October 25, 2012. The effective date for ED will be remanded.,Due to the inextricably intertwined nature of the issues, including the need to determine if tramadol caused ED prior to August 30, 2013, the SMC issue is also remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, granting his claim for TDIU.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back, right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, and left hip disorders based on the Veteran's active duty service. The conditions are considered to be directly related to his military duties.
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