The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining any form of gainful employment for the entire period on appeal, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities, including right wrist laceration with sensory and motor loss, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, have prevented him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Right wrist laceration with distal sensory and motor loss (dominant), Right wrist scars, Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 1, 2024
- Citation
- 24005131
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 24005131.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
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