The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from January 15, 2014 to July 11, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities that rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric and physical disabilities, including left knee strain, degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, and partial edentulism, resulted in functional limitations that made it impossible for him to engage in substantial gainful employment consistent with his education and work history.
- Claimed conditions
- Other specified depressive disorder with somatic symptom disorder, Alcohol use disorder, Residuals of fractured left tibia and fibula with left ankle strain and degenerative changes, Left knee strain with meniscal tear and osteoarthritis, Degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with associated radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Partial edentulism of the mandible, Full edentulism of the maxilla
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- February 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21010984
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 21010984.
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 requests for an effective date prior to June 3, 2020 for the grants of service connection for PTSD and tinnitus. The decision states that VA did not receive an ITF in September 2019 as claimed by the Veteran or her representative, and thus no earlier effective date can be granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, particularly PTSD. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions and related stressors.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric and substance use disabilities required inpatient treatment at a VA-approved residential treatment center (RTC) from April to June 2020, exceeding the 21-day threshold for temporary total rating. The Board granted this claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the April 2021 VA examination is inadequate to rate the Veteran's tension headaches and PTSD. Therefore, a remand is necessary to obtain updated private treatment records and conduct new examinations.
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