The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that preclude him from engaging in substantial gainful employment due to his physical limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Osteochondral Defect and Degenerative Joint Disease Status Post Partial Medial Meniscectomy, Low Back Strain with Degenerative Disc Disease, Sciatic Nerve Radiculopathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Scar of the Left Knee (presumed)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- November 20, 2023
- Citation
- A23032911
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 A23032911.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is being remanded due to the submission of additional evidence. The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for PTSD, low back strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also being remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to August 30, 2023, due to his service-connected disabilities. On or after August 30, 2023, the combined evaluation of his service-connected disabilities does not meet the criteria for TDIU.
- Granted
An effective date of June 29, 2018 for a 40 percent rating for chronic low back strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (low back disability) is granted.,The 20 percent ratings for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right lower extremity from September 1, 2018 through December 20, 2021 are reinstated.,The 20 percent ratings for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity from September 1, 2018 through December 20, 2021 are reinstated.,An effective date of October 4, 2018 for special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) is granted.,TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to a service-connected low back disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and, since April 16, 2013, sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, effective from February 19, 2010 through June 28, 2018 is granted.,TDIU on a schedular basis due to a service-connected low back disability and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities since June 29, 2018 is granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for low back strain with degenerative disc disease is dismissed as the AOJ granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, rendering moot his original claim. For the period prior to January 29, 2016, and from that date onward, the criteria for an increased rating are not met.
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