The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for stress fractures, both knees and ankles with episodes of ligament strain was denied by the Board. The decision found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a prior effective date before November 16, 1999.
The deciding factor: The veteran's submission of new evidence in September 2000 led to a grant of service connection on November 16, 1999. The Board found that the original claim was not appealed within one year from the February 1997 denial and therefore became final.
- Claimed conditions
- history of bilateral stress fractures with episodes of ligament strain
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2002
- Citation
- 0204004
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 0204004.
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.
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- Granted
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- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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