The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 30 percent for bowel impairment prior to January 5, 2015 was denied. The Veteran also sought SMC-R1 based on paraplegia with loss of bowel and bladder movement and the need for aid and attendance prior to January 5, 2015, but this claim was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran had extensive leakage or complete loss of sphincter control prior to January 5, 2015, which are required for a higher rating. The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance was established after January 5, 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- bowel impairment, radiculopathy of the right leg, rhegenic bladder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19161636
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19161636.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and a separate disability rating of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right leg, while denying a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, radiculopathy of the right and left legs, and right and left knee strains due to a procedural error in docketing the appeal.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 7, 2020, for the grant of service connection for multiple sclerosis with sleep apnea and related residuals.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands several issues for further development, including service connection claims and increased rating claims for various disabilities.
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