The Board denied service connection for left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as a suicide attempt), and left shoulder disability. The claim for COPD/emphysema was remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record did not persuasively weigh in favor of finding that any currently diagnosed left knee or psychiatric condition had onset in service or is related to service, while the RO's failure to obtain an examination or opinion regarding a suicide attempt and the Veteran's left shoulder disability was a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as suicide attempt), left shoulder disability, COPD/emphysema
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25026362
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 service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability but denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability prior to April 25, 2019.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a right hip disability, and granted a 30 percent rating for ureterolithiasis. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, while other claims were remanded.
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