The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for numbness of the left leg, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral ankle disorder. The Board also found no evidence to support a claim for a right hand disorder as secondary to a service-connected right shoulder disorder. The Board also denied the veteran's claim for sleep apnea due to lack of in-service diagnosis or connection.
The deciding factor: The medical records did not provide sufficient evidence to establish current disabilities for which service connection could be granted, and there was no competent medical evidence linking any diagnosed conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- numbness of the left leg, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2006
- Citation
- 0608608
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder with radiculopathy of the lower extremities and bilateral hip and knee disorders due to the need for VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability and denied service connection for right shoulder scars. The claims for peripheral neuropathy of the left thumb, a right ankle disorder, and a left ankle disorder were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for onychomycosis (bilateral toenail fungus) and remanded the claims for GERD, chest pain, and an acquired eye disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine, bilateral knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle disorders as they are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.
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