The appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD with MDD is dismissed as it constitutes a freestanding claim and does not stem from the December 2023 rating decision that awarded service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD with MDD is dismissed because it does not stem from the December 2023 rating decision, which granted service connection and assigned a specific effective date.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26027428
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 A26027428.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 27, 2019 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no earlier claim document in the claims file and the Veteran did not timely perfect an appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is found to have begun during their active duty service and continues to this day, meeting the criteria for service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as a result of military sexual trauma (MST) that occurred during service. The Board found the Veteran's testimony and supporting evidence credible, including her VA and private treatment records.
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