The Veteran's claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder was reopened and granted with a 30% evaluation effective May 29, 2009. The Board denied an earlier effective date.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence of an informal or formal claim filed after the June 1976 denial but prior to the May 29, 2009 application to reopen, and thus the earliest possible effective date is May 29, 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), recurrent, severe without psychotic features
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- September 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19173459
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 19173459.
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.
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The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left leg disability is reopened, and the appeal is granted.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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