The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to January 21, 2020 was denied as there is insufficient evidence showing he could not secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not complete the VA Form 21-8940 Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability and thus, the Board lacked sufficient information regarding his employment history, educational background, and income information necessary to determine if he was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21024518
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 21024518.
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 cervical spine disorder is found to be related to his active duty service, and service connection for this condition is granted.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities, to include PTSD and anxiety disorder, cervical spine pain, onychomycosis, and skin conditions. The claim was denied for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and bilateral hearing loss.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine pain and a left elbow disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.
- Partly granted
The Board has granted a schedular TDIU from January 29, 2018. The issue of an extraschedular TDIU prior to that date is referred for consideration.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.