The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for various conditions, finding that no evidence supported an earlier date of claim or entitlement.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the lack of a formal claim within one year of separation and the Veteran's failure to file a completed VA form 21-526 within this period.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical strain, bilateral flat foot with plantar fasciitis, posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury (PTSD with MDD and TBI), lumbosacral strain, irritable bowel syndrome, left knee anterior cruciate ligament tear, neck scar, status-post sebaceous cyst removal, painful scars, right ankle tendonitis, epididymitis, hypertension, left great toe fracture, left knee scar, status-post surgery, right ankle scar, status-post surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25030344
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
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