The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 18, 2022, for his generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks and unspecified depressive disorder.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran's mental health condition worsened within one year of his April 2023 claim, nor was there a supplemental claim or notice of disagreement filed within one year of the October 2022 rating decision.
- Claimed conditions
- generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks, unspecified depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029581
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 a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder, finding that her symptoms more closely approximated those required for such a rating.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for generalized anxiety disorder under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) was dismissed due to procedural error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder, mood disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder and major depressive disorder.
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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.