The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 7, 2012, for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder with psychotic features and anxious distress.
The deciding factor: The presumption of regularity regarding the September 2000 rating decision and notification letter sent to the Veteran has not been rebutted, and there is no evidence that the Veteran received proper notice of the denial in July 2000.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar disorder with psychotic features, anxious distress
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023771
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 Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, dysthymia, and anxious distress based on the Veteran's in-service combat-related stressors.
- Granted
The Veteran's bipolar disorder with psychotic features and polysubstance abuse disorder was granted a 100 percent disability rating as of January 23, 2020, and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was also granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for any mental condition due to new and relevant evidence being received.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxious distress, and insomnia disorder was dismissed because the veteran withdrew the appeal.
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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.