With no explanation, chose the best option from "A", "B", "C" or "D". v. West, 12 Vet.App. 413, 416 (1999) ("A formal claim is one that has been filed in the form prescribed by the Secretary.”). 3 . Specifically, section 5110(a) provides: Unless specifically provided otherwise in this chapter, the effective date of an award based on an original claim, a claim reopened after final adjudication, or a claim for increase, of compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, or pension, shall be fixed in accordance with the facts found, but shall not be earlier than the date of receipt of application therefor. 4 . This regulation remains unchanged. 5 . This holding should not be construed as overruling prior cases in which the Court has determined that a formal application form was not required. See, e.g., Quarles v. Derwinski, 3 Vet.App. 129, 137 (1992) (<HOLDING>). Similarly, our holding does not affect claims

A: holding that the date of discrimination is the date on which a decision not to hire a plaintiff becomes effective
B: holding that where the date of the offense is not an element of the charge  a variance between the indictment date and the proof at trial is not fatal so long as the acts charged were committed within the statute of limitations period and prior to the return date of the indictment
C: holding that where va never sent the claimant a formal application form pursuant to  3155 the oneyear time period to return it could not have begun to run and therefore the effective date of the claim was the date of the informal claim
D: holding that the state was estopped to argue that the 90day notice period  expired on a date prior to the expiration date it cited to the claimant
C.