The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings, finding that the evidence did not support an earlier date of service connection or a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the fact that the Veteran's initial intent to file a claim for TBI with PTSD (and its residuals) was received by VA on March 8, 2019, and he did not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date or a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with vestibular dysfunction and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol use disorder in remission, Migraines, Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as a residual of small vessel cerebrovascular disease noted as mini strokes, Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as a residual of small vessel cerebrovascular disease noted as mini strokes, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2024
- Citation
- A24063006
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for panic disorder, OSA, and hypertension as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for diabetes mellitus was denied.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.