The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to August 1, 2016, finding that he was engaged in substantially gainful employment at a paper mill until then.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had substantial and gainful employment at a major company before stopping work due to his service-connected disabilities. His income exceeded the poverty threshold and he missed only about 12 weeks of work over a 20-year period.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19177233
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a VA psychiatric examination to address the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression and its impact on his employability.
- Granted
The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with depression, effective February 1, 2023.
- Dismissed
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for an increased rating of PTSD with depression, and the Board has dismissed this appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.