The Board has vacated the July 2023 decision that denied higher initial ratings for bowel and urinary incontinence associated with the service-connected lumbar spine disability from February 11, 2011. The claims are being dismissed as they were improperly certified to the Board.
The deciding factor: The issues of entitlement to higher initial ratings for bowel and urinary incontinence associated with the service-connected lumbar spine disability were improperly certified to the Board and rendered in error.
- Claimed conditions
- Bowel Incontinence, Urinary Incontinence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2026
- Citation
- 26001389
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 26001389.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted earlier effective dates of April 1, 2016 for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance, loss of use of both feet, and under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) and (r)(1).,These awards are in full grant of the benefit sought as the Veteran's attorney explicitly requested an effective date in April 2016.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for urinary incontinence, lumbar radiculopathy, and erectile dysfunction due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims will be reconsidered with new evidence and opinions.
- Denied
The Veteran's prostate cancer with voiding dysfunction is rated at 20 percent, and a separate 10 percent rating for bowel incontinence is granted. The Veteran's prostate cancer symptoms do not warrant an increased rating, but his bowel incontinence is found to be consistent with the criteria for a 10 percent rating.
- Granted
The Veteran is found to be eligible for enrollment in the PCAFC program due to his severe and complex medical conditions, which require personal care services.
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