The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder and physical conditions such as headaches, foot disorders, knee disorders, and ear drum disorder, rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with her education and work history as of July 12, 1996. As a result, the Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused significant impairment in her occupational functioning and rendered her unemployable due to limitations related to her psychiatric disorder, headaches, and physical conditions such as foot and knee disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder, Headaches, Right ear drum disorder, Left foot disorder (status-post bunionectomy with k-wire fixation of the left 1st metatarsal phalangeal joint and arthroplasty of 2nd proximal interphalean joint), Right foot disorder (status-post bunionectomy with k-wire fixation of the right 1st metatarsal phalangeal joint and arthroplasty of 2nd proximal interphalean joint), Toe disorder (neuritis of toes 1 and 2, left and right), Right knee disorder (degenerative arthritis changes in the medial compartments and femorotibial joint), Left knee disorder (degenerative arthritis changes in the medial compartments and femorotibial joint)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 19, 2021
- Citation
- 21002966
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 21002966.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether injuries sustained in a November 2001 incident were in the line of duty. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded due to its interdependence with the line of duty 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain private treatment records from the Veteran's treating clinician.
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