The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual employability (TDIU) prior to June 14, 2021, as the evidence did not support a finding that his service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while the Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in functional impairment, they were not of such severity as to totally preclude his employment based on the totality of the evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Thoracolumbar Degenerative Arthritis, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Bilateral Tinnitus, Right Knee Strain, Left Knee Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2025
- Citation
- 25004742
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 denied a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, service connection for chronic sinusitis and bilateral tinnitus, granted a 50 percent initial rating for PTSD, and remanded the claims for an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for a somatic disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating greater than 70 percent for PTSD, granted an earlier effective date of August 14, 2024, for the grant of a 70 percent rating for PTSD, and denied other claims including entitlement to an effective date prior to April 3, 2025, for the grant of a 100 percent rating evaluation for CAD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
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