The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable as of December 28, 2012, but no earlier.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities beginning on December 28, 2012.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive disorder secondary to lumbar spine disability, Left shoulder bursitis and rotator cuff tendinitis, Cervical spine degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25046332
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 the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for major depressive disorder, among other issues. The decision also remanded several claims for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, but granted a 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and special monthly compensation from May 5, 2019.
- Denied
The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease and bilateral upper extremity cervical radiculopathy as there was no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or other criteria that would warrant a higher rating.
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