Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit April 3, 2002, 01-7045 (Carl v. Lamb, Claimant-Appellant v. Anthony J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs)

FRIEDMAN, Senior Circuit Judge.

In this appeal a veteran challenges the refusal of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (“Veterans Court”) to issue a writ of mandamus. In his underlying case the veteran seeks an earlier date for the start of disability benefits than the Department of Veterans Affairs (“Department”) provided.