The Board has determined that an earlier effective date prior to October 18, 2015 for the grant of service connection for unspecified depressive disorder is not warranted. The Veteran's claim was submitted on October 18, 2015 and a complete claim was filed in December 2015. An evaluation in excess of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder is remanded due to the need for a contemporaneous VA examination.
The deciding factor: The effective date for an award based on an original claim shall be fixed in accordance with the facts found but shall not be earlier than the date of receipt of application therefor. The earliest date of claim is October 18, 2015, the date of receipt of the Veteran's intent to file a claim for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depressive disorder (claimed as PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2023
- Citation
- 23042113
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 23042113.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder (claimed as PTSD). Additionally, the Board has also granted SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to the Veteran's service-connected disability. The decision is subject to the laws and regulations governing monetary awards.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.