The Board denied an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the claim was received in December 8, 1993 and no prior informal claim existed within one year prior.
The deciding factor: The earliest date as of which the increase in disability was factually ascertainable is December 8, 1993, when the veteran submitted his most recent claim for increased ratings and a total rating based on individual unemployability.
- Claimed conditions
- schizophrenia, degenerative changes of the cervical spine with limitation of motion, post-operative arthrotomy of the right knee with chondromalacia and Pelligrini-Stieda's disease with arthritis, fracture of the left femur due to gunshot wound, rotator cuff tear of the right shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2003
- Citation
- 0301997
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 0301997.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed alternatively as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, due to an inadequate VA examiner's opinion and a failure to fulfill the duty to assist in obtaining relevant medical records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychological condition, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, due to inadequate medical examinations and opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 28, 1991, for the award of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.
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