The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of February 18, 2020, for the grant of service connection for esophageal spasm. The decision stated that since the claim was filed more than one year after separation from active service, the earliest effective date allowed under law is the date of receipt of the formal claim.
The deciding factor: The Board concluded that an earlier effective date is not warranted in this case as the claim for service connection was received within one year of separation from active service and thus the earliest allowable effective date is the date of receipt of the claim, February 18, 2020.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal spasm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 25, 2024
- Citation
- A24040882
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 A24040882.
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 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery for GERD with Barrett's esophagitis and esophageal spasm required at least one month of convalescence, meeting the criteria for a temporary total disability rating (100%). The Board found that the surgery was appropriate treatment for his service-connected condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and lack of current diagnoses for some conditions. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the etiology of his bilateral knee, shoulder, and esophageal spasm disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's esophageal spasm disability, finding that it results in moderate impairment but not worse.
- Denied
The Veteran's esophageal spasm disability is not rated as a stricture, and the Board finds that it does not meet criteria for a compensable rating.
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