The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her knee disabilities and a compensable rating for umbilical hernia repair were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of chronic constipation was also denied.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date than January 5, 1999 for the grant of service connection for chronic constipation due to lack of a timely filed application or claim prior to this date.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic constipation, left knee strain with anserine bursitis, status post arthroscopic surgeries, right knee strain with anserine bursitis, status post arthroscopic surgeries, status post umbilical hernia repair
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2015
- Citation
- 1514153
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 1514153.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's partial pancreatectomy with chronic constipation is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under current criteria. The Board finds that her symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the July 2024 fee decision is incomplete and does not properly identify the full issue at the center of the present appeal, including the specific amount of past-due benefits awarded and the amount withheld for fees. The case is therefore being remanded to provide a corrected fee decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and remanded the issue of an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for status post umbilical hernia repair.
- Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed because you withdrew your request to continue the appeal on July 30, 2025.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.