The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of major depressive disorder, recurrent and moderate, with anxious distress and alcohol use disorder in sustained remission, as the evidence did not indicate that a prior claim was received before November 30, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Board found that notice of intent to file a claim for service connection was received on November 30, 2020, and there is no indication in the record that an earlier relevant claim or intent to file a claim was received.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, recurrent and moderate, Anxiety disorders, Alcohol use disorder in sustained remission
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2026
- Citation
- A26025820
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 A26025820.
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
The Veteran's appeal of the issue of service connection for 9400 mental disorders, anxiety disorders, and generalized anxiety disorder was dismissed due to concurrent appeals. The claim is considered a supplemental claim for an already adjudicated issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and an addendum opinion regarding his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Denied
The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress and alcohol use disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms did not more closely approximate total occupational and social impairment required for a 100% rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his service-connected conditions, including TBI, mental disorders, fibromyalgia/myofascial pain syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome. The issues of rating his TBI residuals, separate ratings for photophobia, speech impediment, and service connection for fibromyalgia/myofascial pain syndrome are inextricably intertwined with the main issue.
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