The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations and a total disability rating were denied. The Board found that the effective date for service connection of degenerative changes to both knees with fibromyalgia should be March 26, 2009.
The deciding factor: The claim was reopened on new evidence submitted after March 26, 2009, and thus the earliest possible effective date is that day.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes to both knees with fibromyalgia, Lumbar degenerative joint disease, Right shoulder degenerative joint disease with fibromyalgia, Left shoulder degenerative joint disease with fibromyalgia, Diabetes mellitus with bilateral diabetic retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension, Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Left foot degenerative joint disease, Right foot degenerative joint disease, Left knee degenerative changes with fibromyalgia, Right knee degenerative changes with fibromyalgia
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2018
- Citation
- 1817405
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 1817405.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors prior to the rating decision on review. The effective date for TDIU is set at January 31, 2021, based on the last day of employment. However, the RO needs to obtain SSA records regarding earnings from July 2020 to January 31, 2021, to determine if the Veteran's employment was marginal.
- Granted
The rating reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for the service-connected right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was improper, and restoration of the 20 percent rating is granted. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for the right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's disability ratings for right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, were restored to their previous levels of 70%, 60%, 30%, and 30% respectively, effective from February 12, 2025.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are rated at 10 percent each. The Board denied entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for both conditions.
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