The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the claim was not filed within one year of his discharge from active duty, and thus no earlier effective date is warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not file a claim for service connection until February 24, 2003, which is more than one year after separation from active duty in September 1971. Therefore, the earliest possible effective date is February 24, 2003.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Hepatitis C
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2012
- Citation
- 1237286
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 1237286.
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.
- Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was denied, and he was granted a TDIU. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a 100% disability rating.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable initial rating for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's condition was asymptomatic and did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder with Insomnia Disorder, was granted. The effective date is set at October 25, 2022.
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