The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to January 30, 2019 for service connection and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to his disabilities. The effective date was set at January 30, 2019.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the earliest date upon which the Veteran filed a claim leading to the grant of service connection for the disability (white matter ischemic disease of the brain) was May 30, 2013. The effective date cannot be earlier than the January 30, 2019 effective date for diabetes mellitus, type II.
- Claimed conditions
- white matter ischemic disease of the brain, voiding dysfunction and recurrent urinary tract infections, sleep apnea, moderate swallowing difficulties, depression, erectile dysfunction, impaired bowel function
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- January 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26000043
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 A26000043.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
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