The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as it was not factually ascertainable within the year prior to September 4, 1997 that he was entitled to TDIU benefits due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the veteran was unemployable by reason of service-connected disabilities in the year prior to September 4, 1997.
- Claimed conditions
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), shrapnel wounds of the right chest, left arm, left leg, right foot, left foot and ankle, mid-dorsum of the neck, shrapnel wounds below the right eye and of the left hip, right hip, back, left shoulder, right arm, penis, malaria, perforation of the left tympanic membrane, otitis externa, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 14, 2000
- Citation
- 0018520
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 0018520.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified depressive disorder with social anxiety disorder and PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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