The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and SMC were denied. The RO granted service connection for depressive disorder, GERD, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension with specific effective dates.
The deciding factor: The effective dates assigned by the RO are the earliest possible based on the date of receipt of the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever, Sinus Condition, and Allergies), Cervical Spine Disability, Depressive Disorder and Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood, Erectile Dysfunction associated with Thoracolumbar Sprain with Disc Disease, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and Gastritis, Left Elbow Disability, Left Hip Disability, Prostatitis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19196944
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,037 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19196944.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there is no persuasive evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for both a right hip disability and a left hip disability, finding that the Veteran's observable symptoms of pain and stiffness began during his active service and have persisted.
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