The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is granted. Service connection for all other conditions (thyroid disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic renal disease, erectile dysfunction, vertigo, and chronic fatigue syndrome) is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were analyzed based on his Southwest Asia service without presumptive service connection provisions applying due to the lack of qualifying chronic disabilities or environmental exposures in Southwest Asia. The disorders did not manifest during service or within one year after separation from service, nor are they otherwise related to his service.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"bilateral knee disorder","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":true}, {"condition_name":"thyroid disorder","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"diabetes mellitus","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"hypertension","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"chronic renal disease","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"erectile dysfunction","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"vertigo","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"chronic fatigue syndrome","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}, {"condition_name":"sleep apnea","diagnosis_date":null,"disability_granted":false}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19179322
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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