Veteran Achieves TDIU for PTSD, Anxiety

A Marine Corps veteran from Sulphur, La., was having a hard time keeping a job due to his mental health condition. He had worked as a truck driver, but had increasing difficulty being around people due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ever since serving in the Vietnam War.

The veteran had been granted service-connected disability for PTSD, major depressive disorder and hypertension with a combined rating of 70%. For work, he occasionally helped out at his wife’s pet grooming business when his back problems and anxiety permitted. 

Vietnam Veterans of America VSO Paula Tuero-Flesch took the veteran’s case in March 2023 following a referral from a fellow veteran and dog grooming customer. Since then, she has been able to connect his hearing loss, tinnitus, migraines, dizziness and diabetes to service. 

The veteran went from 70% to 90% service-connected disability. Tuero-Flesch then filed for total disability based on unemployability (TDIU), arguing that the veteran had quit his jobs due to the anxiety surrounding interpersonal interaction. 

The veteran is now rated TDIU with special monthly compensation (SMC) housebound. He received nearly $11,000 in retroactive pay in 2024 and continues to receive monthly payments of $4,392.25 — a substantial improvement from the $1,659.95 he had been getting previously. 

For assistance with a benefits claim, veterans can locate a Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Veteran Service Officer here, or search for a VSO from another organization through the VA’s website where VVA doesn’t have VSOs. Enter your ZIP code or city and state, and you’ll see which VSOs serve your area.