The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was denied as the earliest date of receipt of a formal or informal claim is March 17, 2016.,Increased disability ratings for neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities were granted at 30 percent each. The criteria for higher ratings are not met due to lack of evidence showing complete paralysis.,The Veteran's TDIU prior to March 17, 2016 was remanded as there is no indication that his service-connected disabilities alone meet the requirements for a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The effective date for PTSD cannot be earlier than March 17, 2016 because the earliest date of receipt of claim or entitlement is March 17, 2016. The Veteran did not express intent to file a claim for PTSD prior to March 17, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Neuropathy of the right lower extremity, Neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2022
- Citation
- A22024550
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 A22024550.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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