The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 24, 2003, for the award of nonservice-connected pension benefits. The veteran was not found to have been incapacitated prior to that date.
The deciding factor: The RO received a new claim for nonservice-connected pension on June 30, 2003, and awarded it effective from January 24, 2003. There is no indication of an earlier claim or incapacity preventing the filing of the initial claim.
- Claimed conditions
- back, right ankle, feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2006
- Citation
- 0613932
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for back and bilateral knee conditions was withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and right hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's now service-connected knee disabilities, but denied service connection for a variety of other conditions including bilateral ankle, shoulder, foot, mood disorder, tinnitus, hyperlipidemia, and knees.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral foot and ankle conditions to correct a duty to assist error, requiring medical opinions on their relationship to the Veteran's service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a right ankle disability to obtain an addendum opinion.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.