The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, finding that his symptoms did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 6, 2017.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed periods of depression but also indicated that the Veteran could go a whole month without being depressed and had good days out-numbering bad ones. His work experience was in food service which he could reasonably continue in non-hospital settings.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with unspecified depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19176546
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19176546.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 20, 1997, for the award of service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound. The service connection claims for GERD and hypertension were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a new retrospective opinion to determine the severity of the Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of December 28, 2020, for the grant of service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder.
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