The Board denied the appellant's eligibility for direct payment of attorney fees from past due benefits awarded in an October 2023 rating decision granting entitlement to a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The June 2023 VA 21-526EZ Fully Developed Claim was considered a new and original claim, not a supplemental claim made in continuous pursuit of a non-final rating decision, thus the October 2023 rating decision was an initial decision on this original increased rating claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023408
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
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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.