The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar disc disease with spinal stenosis, left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to May 31, 2017. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability for this period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar disc disease with spinal stenosis and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, interfered with his ability to perform both physical and sedentary tasks, making it impossible for him to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar disc disease with spinal stenosis, left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21068501
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 21068501.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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