The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone have not rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. He has failed to cooperate with development of the claim to the extent that it can not be substantiated.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, as he continues to work in a field for which he has proper experience and education despite his medical conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Right and left-knee disorders, Right-upper-extremity radiculopathy, Left-upper-extremity radiculopathy, Cervical-spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- February 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20011917
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 20011917.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical-spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is proximately due to or made worse by events and activities during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis from January 1, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is required to readjudicate the claims and determine whether an extraschedular TDIU and referral to the Director of Compensation Service are warranted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to January 28, 2020 and the claim for increased rating beyond that date is denied. The issues of service connection for lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder (secondary to PTSD), and OSA are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated at a 30 percent rating, effective prior to May 29, 2012. The VA has granted an initial disability evaluation of 40 percent for cervical-spine disorder effective prior to September 18, 2012.,For the period from September 18, 2012 onwards, the Veteran's cervical spine condition is rated at a 20 percent rating. The VA has denied an increased disability evaluation in excess of this rating for his cervical-spine disorder.,The Veteran's left elbow disorder (epicondylitis) and left-elbow scar are both currently evaluated at a 10 percent rating, effective prior to September 18, 2012. The VA has denied entitlement to higher initial disability evaluations for these conditions.
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