The veteran's PTSD is manifested by depression, chronic sleep impairment, isolation, avoidance, anhedonia, disturbances of mood and motivation, panic attacks, mild memory loss and persistent hallucinations. The competent medical evidence does not indicate a nexus between the veteran's right knee disability and his military service or that he has a left knee disability.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the lack of evidence linking the veteran's PTSD symptoms to a higher rating, and the absence of evidence supporting the existence of a right or left knee disability related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Right Knee Disability, Left Knee Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 15, 2009
- Citation
- 0901820
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, including separate ratings for instability and meniscal conditions, but denied higher ratings for flexion limitations in both knees. The Board also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 1, 2021.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for tension headaches effective September 13, 2022, but denied earlier effective dates and service connection for various conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
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