The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent rating and TDIU, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that his service-connected conditions met the criteria prior to May 21, 2019.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show symptoms severe enough to warrant a 70 percent rating or unemployability prior to May 21, 2019, as required by the applicable regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Unspecified anxiety disorder, Depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25034258
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 Veteran's claims for additional VA examinations to properly evaluate the current severity of her disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted a 70 percent disability rating from April 27, 2020 to August 15, 2022, and a TDIU was also granted.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a rating of total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based upon service-connected disorders effective July 20, 2022, and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) pursuant to 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 for the same effective date.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of July 14, 2020, for the grant of service connection for IVDS with spinal fusion and lumbar disc disease with stenosis, as well as associated radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves of the left and right lower extremities, and depressive disorder.
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