The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and residuals of a head injury, found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen his claim for idiopathic cardiomyopathy and renal insufficiency, determined that the veteran's PTSD did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 70 percent, and concluded that he was not entitled to TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence supporting a direct link between the claimed conditions and the veteran's service, or new material evidence for the reopened claim. The veteran's PTSD symptoms were deemed insufficient to warrant a total disability rating based on unemployability.
- Claimed conditions
- Left knee disorder, Residuals of a head injury, Idiopathic cardiomyopathy and renal insufficiency, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 2, 2009
- Citation
- 0903487
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for annual clothing allowances for a left knee sleeve, A&D ointment, hydrocortisone cream, and incontinence briefs due to lack of service connection or evidence that these items cause irreparable damage to outer garments.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right hip, left hip, and left shoulder, as well as PTSD. The claim for a higher rating for the right knee scar was denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, a left knee disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, and diverticulitis. A 30 percent rating was also granted for the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder effective February 26, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, due to inadequate medical opinions and a Stegall violation.
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