The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, which include sleep apnea, lumbar and cervical spine conditions, shoulder issues, and a history of heavy physical labor. The Board granted the TDIU based on these factors.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to their impact on his ability to work in physically demanding jobs.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Degenerative disc disease at L3-L4 in the lumbar spine, Left and right hand numbness status post radiculopathy of the cervical spine, Left and right lower extremity decreased sensation status post radiculopathy of the lumbar spine, Partial rotator cuff tears with impingement syndrome in left and right shoulders, Degenerative disc disease at C5-6 following fusion surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- May 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20033222
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 20033222.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected residuals of left foot 5th metatarsal fracture.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea has been granted, with the effective date set at June 25, 2019.
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