The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 9, 2005.
The deciding factor: The most probative evidence shows that the Veteran’s inability to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment was due to non-service connected disabilities such as liver failure, hepatitis, and left-hand weakness.
- Claimed conditions
- left-hand weakness, liver failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20034513
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 20034513.
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 Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore his surviving spouse is denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of his death.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's non-VA emergency medical expenses incurred on February 14, 2024 are granted as the treatment was for an emergent condition (jaundice) and a VA facility was not feasibly available.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's heart condition, liver condition, or hepatitis C began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service, particularly given the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) for the Veteran and a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) memorandum.
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