The veteran's bilateral varicose veins are rated at 50% disabling, effective from April 1998. The reduction of the hypertension rating from 20% to 10% is granted and effective from April 1998. The veteran meets criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examination in April 1998 showed severe bilateral varicose veins, warranting a 50% disability evaluation under the former rating criteria. Hypertension was rated at 10% since January 12, 1998, based on diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Varicose Veins, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2003
- Citation
- 0301621
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 244 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0301621.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 10% rating for hypertension effective December 1, 2025 and denied a rating in excess of 10%. The reduction from 10% to noncompensable was not proper.
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