The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral knees and lower back was denied due to a late filing of the Board Appeal request, which is not considered timely given the one-year deadline from the date of the rating decision. The VA has determined that good cause was not shown to extend the time limit.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal was untimely as it was filed more than one year after the original rating decision.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knees, lower back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26024403
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 A26024403.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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's TDIU was granted effective April 8, 2020. The Board found that VA failed to properly notify the Veteran of his intent to file a claim and thus the earlier date is valid.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities may have caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to her service-connected disabilities, finding that she is able to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment despite her conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
New evidence has been received to reconsider the service connection claims for various disabilities, including right arm, head, left knee, left shoulder, lower back, neck, and right foot. The Board is remanding these cases for further review.
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