The Board denied an effective date earlier than February 8, 2023 for the award of service connection for a mood disorder with depressive features secondary to service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran had filed a claim or intent-to-file prior to February 8, 2023, which was necessary to establish an earlier effective date.
- Claimed conditions
- mood disorder with depressive features
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25035620
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 an effective date of June 27, 2016, for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and special monthly compensation.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted an initial 70 percent disability rating for a mood disorder with depressive features from June 22, 2000 until January 1, 2003 and a 100 percent rating from January 1, 2003 until January 25, 2012. The claim for an increased rating was denied for the period starting August 5, 2020.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates of September 22, 2022, for service connection and increased ratings based on the Veteran's intent to file a claim received on that date.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability. Additionally, the Veteran was granted a 70 percent rating for her mood disorder with depressive features.
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