The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability is being remanded due to the need for further development. The effective date of the award of service connection remains February 28, 2014.
The deciding factor: The April 2011 rating decision denying service connection was final and not appealed within one year, thus becoming final. An earlier effective date is not warranted as no claim to reopen a previous denial for service connection was filed before the February 28, 2014 filing of a new claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Psychiatric disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19193367
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 19193367.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 100 percent rating for psychiatric disability and Meniere's disease, but denied SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Partly granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 70 percent for a psychiatric disability, 40 percent for a low back disability, and 20 percent each for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve and femoral nerve. The claim for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 70 percent rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability, finding that May 9, 2022, was the earliest date as of which it was factually ascertainable based on all evidence of record that an increase in disability had occurred.
- Partly granted
The Board denied higher initial ratings for the Veteran's psychiatric and right shoulder disabilities, but granted SMC based on aid and attendance as of February 9, 2023.
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