The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, cervical spine disability, gastric/duodenal ulcer, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and dislocated semilunar cartilage of the right knee, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since March 22, 2012.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including multiple severe conditions such as cervical spine disability, gastric/duodenal ulcer, and degenerative arthritis, have made it impossible for the Veteran to engage in substantial gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, Degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine, status post anterior cervical corpectomy and diskectomies, Gastric/duodenal ulcer, Degenerative arthritis of the spine, Dislocated semilunar cartilage of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 24, 2026
- Citation
- 26002502
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 26002502.
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 Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right ankle degenerative arthritis, and left ankle degenerative arthritis.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 50 percent effective February 13, 2021. His left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is rated at 80 percent from April 21, 2013 to February 12, 2021. The Veteran's TDIU claim has an earlier effective date of April 21, 2013.
- Granted
The Veteran's back condition is granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher. The claims for service connection for LLE and RLE radiculopathies are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities on a direct basis, finding that these conditions began during active service.
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