The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 19, 2017, for the award of service connection for PTSD with Bipolar Disorder was denied. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as the earliest possible effective date is the date of receipt of the application to reopen the claim, which is May 19, 2017.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating prior to May 19, 2017, was also denied. The Board found that she did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU and could only be granted on an extraschedular basis under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b). However, given her statement indicating that her non-service-connected PTSD was causing her to not work, the Board concluded that she had not met the criteria for referral of her claim to the Director, Compensation Services for extraschedular consideration.
The deciding factor: The earliest possible effective date for service connection is the date of receipt of the application to reopen the claim, which is May 19, 2017. The Veteran's PTSD and Bipolar Disorder were not granted earlier as they did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU prior to May 19, 2017.,The Veteran could only be granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) due to her service-connected breast condition disabilities. However, she did not meet the criteria for referral of her claim to the Director, Compensation Services as her statement indicated that her non-service-connected PTSD was causing her to not work.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 4, 2023
- Citation
- 23054920
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 23054920.
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 claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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