The Veteran's TDIU claim from May 4, 2016, to July 24, 2017, is dismissed as moot because he was already receiving a 100% disability rating for PTSD. The SMC claim prior to July 25, 2017, is also dismissed due to the Veteran's other service-connected disabilities not meeting the required criteria.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had a 100% disability rating for PTSD from May 4, 2016, and his other service-connected disabilities did not meet the requirement of being independently rated at 60% or more to warrant SMC under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depression, Alcohol Use Disorder, Left Shoulder Dislocation, Left Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Vertigo, Syncope
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 24, 2024
- Citation
- 24003601
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (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 24003601.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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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