The Veteran's first formal application for compensation was received in June 2002, within one year of the RO's sending of a VA Form 21-526 in October 2001, that was sent in response to the Veteran's informal claim that was received on March 28, 2001. The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection.
The deciding factor: The application was not received within one year of the initial informal claim or the request from the RO, so the proper effective date is the date his new claim was received, March 28, 2001.
- Claimed conditions
- cystic acne, pseudofolliculitis with scars and hair loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2009
- Citation
- 0904148
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,582 · Granted: 32% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0904148.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin disorder, including epidermal inclusion cysts. The decision is based on inadequate VA examinations and a duty to assist error before the May 2025 rating decision.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a skin condition, to include cystic acne and tinea versicolor, for further medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, right great toenail disorder, hemorrhoids, cystic acne, IBS, and erectile dysfunction. The issues of residuals of broken ribs, left biceps tendon tear, fibromyalgia, vertigo dizziness, and chronic fatigue syndrome were remanded.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of the 30% rating for cystic acne and restored a separate 30% rating for painful scars of the back and groin, effective November 1, 2021.
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