Citation Nr: 21013113 Decision Date: 03/08/21 Archive Date: 03/08/21 DOCKET NO. 15-18 299 DATE: March 8, 2021 ORDER Service connection for right knee injury is denied Service connection for heart disease is denied. Service connection for reflux is denied. Service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is denied. Service connection for diabetes type II is denied. Service connection for neck injury is denied. Service connection for hypertension is denied. FINDING OF FACT The probative evidence of record does not establish that the Veteran has a diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. The criteria for service connection for right knee injury are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. 2. The criteria for service connection for heart disease are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. 3. The criteria for service connection for reflux are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. 4. The criteria for service connection for PTSD are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. 5. The criteria for service connection for diabetes type II are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. 6. The criteria for service connection for neck injury are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. 7. The criteria for service connection for hypertension are not met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS The Veteran served from November 1988 to November 1992. These matters are on appeal from a May 2012 rating decision. The Veteran did not appear for a requested Board hearing scheduled for October 2018. The Veteran’s claims were most recently before the Board in November 2018. The Board remanded the claims so that the Veteran could have an opportunity to complete releases such that VA could obtain his private medical treatment. The agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) informed the Veteran, but no releases were obtained. In March 2020, the Veteran’s representative waived the opportunity to submit an informal hearing presentation (IHP). Given all of the above, the Veteran’s claims are ready for review. Service Connection 1. Service connection for right knee injury 2. Service connection for heart disease 3. Service connection for reflux 4. Service connection for PTSD 5. Service connection for diabetes type II 6. Service connection for neck injury 7. Service connection for hypertension The Veteran contends he should be service-connected for the above conditions. He has not offered any statement that the Board can liberally construe or read sympathetically to determine why he believes service connection is warranted. See Scott v. McDonald, 789 F.3d 1375, 1381 (Fed. Cir. 2015); Robinson v. Mansfield, 21 Vet. App. 545, 555 (2008), aff’d sub nom. Robinson v. Shinseki, 557 F.3d 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2009). Service connection may be granted for disability resulting from disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107; 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. The three-element test for service connection requires evidence of: (1) a current disability; (2) in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and (3) a causal relationship between the current disability and the in-service disease or injury. Shedden v. Principi, 381 F.3d 1163, 1166 -67 (Fed. Cir. 2004). The record contains no evidence of a current disability for any claimed condition. There are limited VA medical records from 2001. They include a diagnosis of PTSD per history and depressive disorder. However, this was many years before the appeal period. There is no indication as to whether this diagnosis has remained extant. A nexus to service is also not shown. The Veteran was given an opportunity to attend a VA examination in connection with his claims, but he did not appear. Further, the Veteran was afforded an opportunity to complete releases for the private providers he identified concurrent with his application. He did not return any releases. Absent evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service, the weight of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for the claimed conditions. Accordingly, the claims are denied. The benefit of the doubt doctrine does not apply. 38 U.S.C. § 5107(b); 38 C.F.R. § 3.102. Corey Bosely Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board I. M. Hitchcock The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.