The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for service connection of depressive disorder, LLE weakness, and impairment of sphincter control is granted.,An initial rating in excess of 30 percent for MS is denied.,A 10 percent rating for CFS is granted.,A 50 percent rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.,A 10 percent rating for migraines with visual disturbances is granted.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for LUE weakness is denied.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for RLE weakness is denied.,A 10 percent rating for LLE weakness is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim was based on her continuous pursuit of an increased initial rating for MS, which included these issues. The Board found the evidence in approximate balance as to whether the conditions were present at the time of her application for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive disorder not otherwise specified (acquired psychiatric disorder), Left lower extremity (LLE) weakness, Impairment of sphincter control
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- 26000670
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 26000670.
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 Board has granted an effective date of March 1, 2022 for the award of service connection for impairment of sphincter control as secondary to service-connected internal and external hemorrhoids with pruritus ani. The Veteran is also awarded a rating of 60 percent for this condition since March 1, 2022.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected Multiple Sclerosis resulted in a compensable rating and effective date of January 20, 2017. The awards for voiding dysfunction, swallowing difficulties, and impairment of sphincter control are also effective from that date.
- Granted
The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent from March 5, 2019. Service connection for impairment of sphincter control secondary to service-connected IBS is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional VA medical evidence to be considered and for an adequate VA examination of his low back disability.
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