The Board denied entitlement to earlier effective dates for a TDIU and DEA benefits, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 28, 2010.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that while the Veteran experienced symptoms of PTSD, his overall functioning allowed him to maintain employment until May 28, 2010, when he met the schedular criteria for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD with depression, Left hip shrapnel wound, Left knee disability, Right knee disability, Right foot disability (residuals of shrapnel wounds), Residuals of shrapnel wounds to the right calf, left flank, and neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2025
- Citation
- 25013741
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 32% (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 25013741.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
For the period prior to October 29, 2021, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) based on housebound status is denied.,For the entire appeal period, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l) based on need of regular aid and attendance is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim for bilateral knee disabilities and his right and left knee scars have been granted. He is now rated at a combined 60% disability rating from June 1, 2018 based on bilateral factors for his bilateral knee disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's entitlement to higher level of SMC at the intermediate rate is granted, effective from January 8, 2021. He was previously in need of aid and attendance due to his left knee disability since February 1, 2017, and now has additional disabilities rated at 50 percent or more.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that his current diagnosis of right knee strain is related to his military service.
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