The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and special monthly compensation due to lack of evidence showing a belief in entitlement prior to the respective dates.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were not considered until an Intent to File was received by VA on November 2, 2021, and formal claims were filed one year later. Regulations require a communication requesting or evidencing a belief in entitlement for benefits to be considered as a claim.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, erectile dysfunction (ED), special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051759
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 Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's award of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective from April 15, 2017, solely based on his unspecified anxiety disorder. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied.
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