The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for service connection grants, but the Board finds no legal basis to grant these claims.,The Veteran's anxiety disorder claim was reopened and granted in June 2014 with an effective date of September 17, 2012.
The deciding factor: The earliest effective date allowable under law is one day following separation from active duty service. The Veteran separated on January 31, 1997, and thus the earliest possible effective date for his heart disability was February 1, 1997.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute heart failure, Unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, Alcoholic neuropathy of the right upper extremity (RUE), Alcoholic neuropathy and cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity (LUE), Alcoholic neuropathy of the right lower extremity (RLE), Alcoholic neuropathy and lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (LLE), Left shoulder scars
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2024
- Citation
- A24042449
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 A24042449.
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 service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee disorders and low back disorder, prevented him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment consistent with his education and experience. The Board found that the combined effects of these conditions made it impossible for the Veteran to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his psychiatric, left shoulder, and left shoulder scar disabilities as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder prior to June 15, 2020, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter. However, it granted ratings of 30 percent for left upper radicular peripheral neuropathy, 40 percent for right upper radicular peripheral neuropathy, 20 percent for left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for left shoulder scars was also denied due to lack of painful or unstable scars.
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