The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder associated with alopecia areata and denied a request for an earlier effective date for TDIU.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support higher initial ratings under any applicable diagnostic criteria, and there was no credible evidence showing that the Veteran was unable to work prior to March 26, 2014.
- Claimed conditions
- Alopecia areata
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- September 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19170574
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 19170574.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for service connection for alopecia areata is dismissed. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral dry eye syndrome with vision impairment scars are remanded due to a duty to assist error.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headache disorder, plantar fasciitis, left and right knee disabilities, and left and right shoulder disabilities. It also granted an initial 70 percent rating for GAD from December 30, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression; alopecia areata; and a left knee disability due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a current disability or sufficient symptomatology to warrant a compensable evaluation.
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