The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 9, 2018, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected fibromyalgia alone rendered her unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, and she had additional service-connected disabilities rated as at least 60 percent disabling.
- Claimed conditions
- fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), paresthesias, left hand, carpal tunnel syndrome, right hand, degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, cervical spine (neck condition), intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), spondylolisthesis L5-S1, residuals of thoracic strain, degenerative disc disease (back condition), residuals, ligament strain, degenerative arthritis, left knee, radiculopathy, left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) (LLE radiculopathy)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25034956
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 352 · Granted: 37% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25034956.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain all necessary opinions regarding whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). The claims for service connection for fatigue, fibromyalgia, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, and sleep disorder are remanded for further development.
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