The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for her upper extremity radiculopathies and TDIU prior to January 14, 2018 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show she was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to this date.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's employment ended due to personal reasons (job dissatisfaction) and incidents unrelated to her service-connected disabilities, which prevented her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 14, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- Right upper extremity radiculopathy, Left upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22033644
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 22033644.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability with left upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition. The Board concluded that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran requires assistance with eating, dressing, hygiene needs, medication management, housekeeping, meal preparation, and laundry.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates on all issues related to his service-connected conditions.
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