The Board grants an effective date of January 23, 2011 for the grant of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, various right hand disabilities, migraines, and obstructive sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that relevant official service department records existed but were not associated with the claims file at the time of the initial denial in February 2013. These records support the Veteran's claims for these conditions, thus warranting an earlier effective date based on reconsideration under 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(c).
- Claimed conditions
- thoracic spondylosis, chondromalacia patella, right knee, degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic with limitation and painful motion of the right index finger, degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic with limitation and painful motion of the right long finger, degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic with limitation and painful motion of the thumb, degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic with limitation and painful motion of the right ring finger, limitation of motion of the right ring or little finger, characterized as degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic with limitation of motion of the right ring or little finger, migraines, obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25009522
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,948 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25009522.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
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