The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date than December 1, 2022, for a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence to support a factually ascertainable increase in the severity of the Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder during the year prior to December 1, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25058131
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 772 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25058131.
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.
- Dismissed
All appeals for higher initial ratings and service connection were dismissed as they were duplicative of previously addressed appeals or due to untimely filings.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating greater than 70 percent for service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, for the period from July 25, 2022, to August 17, 2022.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, finding a causal relationship between the current disability and in-service trauma.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee condition and an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the Veteran's claims, particularly regarding his claimed onset of symptoms during active service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.