The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of depressive disorder with anxiety and neuralgia paresthetica of the bilateral thighs, finding that the earliest date of claim was May 20, 1996.
The deciding factor: The Veteran submitted an informal claim in February 1995 but did not submit a formal application until more than one year later on May 20, 1996. The effective date assigned is based on the date of receipt of the formal application.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive disorder with anxiety, Neuralgia paresthetica of the bilateral thighs
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2012
- Citation
- 1227195
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 1227195.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for depressive disorder with anxiety and service connection for insomnia, while denying service connection for OSA and plantar fascitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers because the initial VA decision was conclusory and based on an incorrect interpretation of regulatory requirements for 'need for supervision, protection, or instruction.' A new medical opinion must be obtained that properly applies the correct statutory criteria and addresses how the Veteran's diagnoses affect daily functioning.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 100 percent for depressive disorder with anxiety and a 50 percent rating for migraines, while denying increased ratings for rhinitis and sleep apnea. The appeal was dismissed for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder with anxiety has been granted a 70 percent disability evaluation effective April 28, 2008. The appeal is granted for this period.
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