The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial ratings, except for a granted 70 percent rating for psychiatric disability.

The deciding factor: The accurate effective date would be February 24, 2020, which is the later of the date of the Veteran's intent to file and the date entitlement arose. Therefore, earlier effective dates are not warranted.

Claimed conditions

bilateral pes planus with right foot hallux valgus, right MTP joint arthritis, right calcaneal spur, and bilateral foot strain (bilateral foot disability), limitation of flexion, right hip, limitation of extension, right hip, right hip strain with thigh impairment, limitation of flexion, left hip bursitis, limitation of extension, left hip bursitis, left hip bursitis with thigh impairment, major depressive disorder, recurrent, mild with anxious distress and panic attacks (psychiatric disability), erectile dysfunction (ED)

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

70%

Decision date

October 9, 2025

Citation

A25087701

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine