The Veteran's SSD is granted, and his back disability and left knee disability are both rated at 40 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's SSD was caused by his service-connected disabilities (back and left knee), resulting in an award of secondary service connection. The rating for his back disability is increased to 40 percent based on limitation of motion, with forward flexion limited to 10 degrees after repeated use over a period of time.
- Claimed conditions
- somatic symptom disorder, lumbar spine herniated nucleus pulposus (back disability), postoperative left knee osteoarthritis (left knee disability)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 4, 2026
- Citation
- A26010538
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 A26010538.
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 service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis and remanded the claims of anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and somatic symptom disorder.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for somatic symptom disorder and migraines, both found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of somatic symptom disorder. The effective date for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea (OSA) was set at February 4, 2020, and a rating in excess of 50 percent for OSA is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including insomnia disorder, anxiety, and somatic symptom disorder) and bruxism. The evidence did not support a finding of direct or secondary service connection.
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