The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back pain and numbness, as well as his depression and anxiety, limit his ability to engage in substantial gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder with anxious distress associated with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, radiculopathy, lower right extremity (femoral nerve) associated with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, radiculopathy, lower left extremity (femoral nerve) associated with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, radiculopathy, lower right extremity (sciatic nerve) associated with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, radiculopathy, lower left extremity (sciatic nerve) associated with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, residual scar associated with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2026
- Citation
- A26005252
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26005252.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 6, 2001 for service connection for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine based on newly associated service personnel records.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The issues of service connection for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine; right leg radiculopathy; and degenerative arthritis, cervical spine are dismissed as the Board granted service connection in a separate appeal stream.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis and L4-L5 disc protrusion as secondary to a service-connected knee condition is granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.
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