The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates were denied.,The Board found that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date before March 14, 2022, for service connection of IVDS, MDD, left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, patellar maltracking, and calf strain, or right knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, patellar maltracking, and calf strain.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support an earlier effective date before March 14, 2022, for service connection of IVDS, MDD, left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, patellar maltracking, and calf strain, or right knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, patellar maltracking, and calf strain.
- Claimed conditions
- Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (IVDS) of the lumbar spine with lumbosacral strain, Major depressive disorder (MDD), Left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, patellar maltracking, and calf strain, Right knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, patellar maltracking, and calf strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26000324
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 A26000324.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder contributed to his death from a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA). The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is therefore granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders and their relationship to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in verifying the Veteran's claimed stressors and developing his claim for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide more details about the events he witnessed during service, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine if any diagnosed conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking his current mental health conditions to his military service.
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