The veteran claims entitlement to service connection for hypertension, which he alleges was first diagnosed in 1959. The RO is instructed to attempt to locate and obtain his service medical records from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) due to a fire that destroyed Air Force personnel records prior to 1957. Additionally, they are asked to request treatment records from Dr. Thomas H. Locke and Clinicare.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service medical records may have been destroyed in a previous fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2003
- Citation
- 0328473
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 0328473.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma but denied it for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
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