The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 24, 2018 for the award of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The decision found that the Veteran did not file a formal claim until September 24, 2018 and thus, the earliest effective date is September 24, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's informal claim of November 2014 did not include a claim for service connection for depression (MDD), and therefore, he was not entitled to an earlier effective date based on his November 2014 claim. The Veteran's formal application form submitted in February 2015 also did not include MDD as a claimed condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 29, 2023
- Citation
- 23019409
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 23019409.
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 Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a 70 percent disability rating for his psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with MDD and anxiety, has been granted. However, the issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to procedural issues.
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