Entitlement to an initial 100 percent rating for service-connected psychotic disorder prior to January 1, 1996 is granted.

Board reasoning

The Board found that, prior to January 1, 1996, the veteran’s psychotic disorder precluded gainful employment, justifying a 100 percent schedular rating under the pre-1996 rules, and that from January 1, 1996 to April 30, 2002 the veteran was gainfully employed, so a TDIU was not warranted. From April 30, 2002 to June 27, 2021, the veteran could not sustain gainful employment due to the service-connected disorder, warranting TDIU, while from June 28, 2021 onward the issue became moot because a 100 percent schedular rating was in effect for the disability, which is the veteran’s only service-connected disability. The Board relied on SSA findings and contemporaneous VA treatment records to assess economic and non-economic components of employability and applied relevant legal standards, including 38 C.F.R. § 4.16 and prior versions of § 4.16(c).