The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for hyperlipidemia. The remaining conditions include an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and anxiety disorders), bilateral knee osteoarthritis, hearing loss of the left ear, sleep apnea, hypertension, a low back disorder, bilateral hip osteoarthritis, tinnitus of the right ear, folliculitis, resection of left eye pterygium with residual faint nasal conjunctival scar, recurrent nasal pterygium of the right eye, and TDIU. The Veteran's hyperlipidemia claim is pending.
The deciding factor: The evidence presented since the last final denial has established service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and anxiety disorders) and bilateral knee osteoarthritis based on presumptive exposure to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Inclusive of PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression), Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2015
- Citation
- 1544675
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 1544675.
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 Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations, with separate ratings for instability and cartilage dislocation where applicable. The RO has granted the requested increased ratings.
- Granted
The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea. The right hip disability is found to be related to in-service injuries, while the bilateral knee disability is found to be related to in-service activities. Service connection is granted on a direct basis.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis was not incurred or aggravated in service and is not proximately due to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder and bilateral knee disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.
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