The Veteran's claim for TDIU and DEA benefits prior to December 7, 2020 is denied as there was no formal or informal claim received prior to that date. The effective dates for the TDIU and DEA benefits are both set at December 7, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not submit a formal or informal claim for TDIU prior to December 7, 2020, and there was no evidence of record that raised the issue of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to this date. The effective dates for DEA benefits are tied to the effective date of the TDIU rating.
- Claimed conditions
- carpal tunnel (bilateral hands), lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome, residuals of right ankle sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- August 28, 2024
- Citation
- A24050790
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 A24050790.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings were denied, but the claim for individual unemployability was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are inextricably intertwined with his claims for remand. The claims have been REMANDED to allow for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and lower extremity radiculopathy during flare-ups and after repeated use over time.
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