The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 12, 2011 for his entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The decision is based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since August 12, 2011.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his inability to perform physical tasks required by his job as a firefighter and paramedic, which was provided with extensive accommodations.
- Claimed conditions
- right hip tendonitis, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, intervertebral disc syndrome with spinal stenosis and cervical spondylosis, left hip tendonitis, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee surgical scar, status post anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament left knee with degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome with spinal stenosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 10, 2026
- Citation
- A26033520
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 A26033520.
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 service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disability, abdominal hernia, GERD, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the appellant's period of active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied the claims for right knee disability, erectile dysfunction, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The decision is remanded for further action on these issues.
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