The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a schedular or extra-schedular TDIU rating due to his service-connected disabilities alone.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s combined disability rating has never met the minimum threshold percentage criteria necessary for entitlement to a schedular TDIU rating, and there is no evidence of unemployability on an extra-schedular basis.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical strain, Lumbosacral strain, Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy (now diagnosed as idiopathic peripheral neuropathy), Fibromyalgia, Right Shoulder Muscle Spasm, Bilateral Hand Contusions and History of Finger Fractures, Left Knee Disabilities (including surgery)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- March 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21013856
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 21013856.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical strain, service connection for left leg pain (claimed as joint pain), and service connection for a left ear hearing condition are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the lumbar spine disability prior to October 11, 2022 and since December 1, 2022. The Veteran's claim is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5242.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis and a lumbosacral strain, is at least as likely as not related to his active service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain, low back disability, bilateral upper extremity peripheral nerve disability, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral nerve disability. The conditions are related to the Veteran's active service.
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