The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD with bipolar disorder, as well as claims for increased ratings and TDIU/SMC, were denied. The Board found that the earliest date of entitlement to service connection was April 11, 2023.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not submit a formal claim prior to April 11, 2023, for PTSD with bipolar disorder, and therefore, the effective date cannot be earlier than this date.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD with bipolar disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26039256
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 A26039256.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes, deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no rating decision or service connection determination was made.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD with bipolar disorder, DEA benefits, and TDIU.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with bipolar disorder was denied as her symptoms did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent.
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