The Board has granted DIC benefits on behalf of the Veteran's children, effective November 20, 2009. The appellant initially applied for DIC benefits in September 2007 and submitted an application to correct military records in November 2009. The Department of the Army determined that the Veteran's death was not in the line of duty due to his willful misconduct but later changed this determination.
The deciding factor: The effective date for DIC benefits is set at the date of receipt of the application to correct the military record, which was November 20, 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute combined drug overdose, Major depressive disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Alcohol abuse
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 24, 2015
- Citation
- 1541036
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 1541036.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, as secondary to his already service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service harassment. Service connection was denied for a binge eating disorder as there is no evidence of such a condition.
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