The Board denied an earlier effective date for the 100 percent evaluation of PTSD with alcohol use disorder and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance, finding no evidence that supported a date prior to April 29, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD did not manifest or approximate total occupational and social impairment prior to the effective date of the 100 percent evaluation for PTSD, and he did not meet the criteria for basic eligibility of Dependents' Educational Assistance prior to that date.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25035283
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 29, 2018, for the 70 percent rating assigned for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and denied a higher initial rating. The decision also addressed various other claims related to service connection, TDIU, DEA benefits, and special monthly compensation.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date, prior to October 22, 2024, for the grant of service connection for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 18, 2021, for the assignment of a 70 percent rating for service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial increased rating in excess of 50 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with alcohol use disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated those associated with a 50 percent rating.
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