The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, assigning October 12, 2022 as the earliest possible effective date.
The deciding factor: The August 2024 rating decision assigned the earliest allowable effective date based on the intent to file a claim received in October 2022 and subsequent formal claim submitted within one year of that date.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25108558
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,156 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25108558.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date and a higher rating for the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, as well as remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder prior to July 20, 2023, but granted a 30 percent rating for hiatal hernia with GERD and herpes simplex 1 esophagitis.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder was denied. The disability is currently rated at 30 percent, effective July 28, 2016.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective December 2, 2014. The Board found that the symptoms more nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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.