The Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 1, 2007 due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board denied the claim for TDIU as there was no evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had a combined disability rating of 60% prior to May 1, 2007, which did not meet the criteria for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Board found that the Veteran was able to perform sedentary work and obtain his associates degree, indicating he could secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- right hand injury with ankylosis of the middle, ring and little fingers, left hand laceration, painful left hand scar, lumbosacral strain, varicose veins of the left leg, left hip arthritis and bursitis, residuals of left middle finger fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 8, 2021
- Citation
- 21006970
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 21006970.
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 Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of a lumbosacral strain, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury during active duty and his continuous symptoms since then.
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