The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance was granted effective January 2, 2017. The Board denied an earlier effective date due to lack of formal or informal claims prior to March 24, 2015.
The deciding factor: There were no formal or informal claims filed prior to March 24, 2015, and the earliest possible (and appropriate) effective date for the award was January 2, 2017.
- Claimed conditions
- psoriasis, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hyponatremia, depressive disorder, dementia, prostate cancer, bowel and bladder incontinence, chest pain, anxiety, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), vitamin D deficiency, herniated lumbar disc, poor hygiene
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19107332
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
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
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