The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to October 20, 2019, as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were not of sufficient severity to impair his ability to perform any form of employment for the period prior to October 20, 2019.

Claimed conditions

right upper extremity radiculopathy associated with cervical spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease and stenosis, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left upper extremity radiculopathy associated with cervical spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease and stenosis, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease and stenosis, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic) associated with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic) associated with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral) associated with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral) associated with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, tinnitus associated with bilateral hearing loss

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 15, 2025

Citation

25012838

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine