Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, mental health, and lower extremity disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation effective January 1, 2015, but no earlier. A rating in excess of 40 percent for the low back disability is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine symptoms do not more nearly approximate unfavorable ankylosis and his work environment does not meet the criteria for a protected work environment that would support a TDIU claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability (degenerative arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 17, 2025
- Citation
- 25015007
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