The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of an intent to file a claim prior to the respective dates.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not persuasively weigh in favor of finding that the Veteran filed an informal or formal claim, or expressed, in writing, an intent to file a claim for service connection for these disabilities prior to the specified dates.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease status-post myocardial infarction (CAD), Type II diabetes mellitus with impotence, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2024
- Citation
- A24066253
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 denied an effective date prior to April 11, 2013, for the award of service connection for diabetic retinopathy and grade 2+ anterior vacuoles due to a lack of evidence indicating an intent to apply for benefits or communication related to these conditions before that date.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetic retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, a heart disability, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, a colon disability, major depressive disorder, and diabetes mellitus, type 2. The claims for PTSD, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, type 2, and hypertension were denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during its pendency.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetic retinopathy as a secondary condition to the Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.
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