The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee ligament tear and left leg numbness have been denied. The claim for a higher rating for lumbar strain has also been denied, but the Veteran is now receiving a 30 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome.,Service connection was not granted as there is no evidence of current disability related to service or secondary to service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a current diagnosis of left knee ligament tear, and the Veteran's lay opinion regarding this condition is not credible. The claim for left leg numbness was denied as there is no established connection between the condition and service or any service-connected disability.,For lumbar strain, the VA examiner found that the Veteran had pain but no limitation in range of motion. The Board agreed with the examiner's assessment, finding that the Veteran’s symptoms were not severe enough to warrant a higher rating under the applicable criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Ligament Tear, Left Leg Numbness, Lumbar Strain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18144339
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 18144339.
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 PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, and pain of cervical & cervicothoracic regions.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 29, 2016 for the award of a 30 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted a 30 percent disability rating, but no higher. The claims for increased ratings and service connection for other conditions are denied.
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