The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an increased evaluation for his left thoracic sympathectomy scar, finding that there was no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and service. The Board also found that the current evaluations were appropriate given the lack of functional impairment attributable to the scars.
The deciding factor: The veteran's hypertension was not shown during service or within one year of separation from service, and there is no medical evidence linking his current condition to service. For the left thoracic sympathectomy scar, while the veteran reported symptoms such as pain and itching, these were attributed to post-surgical conditions rather than the scar itself.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, left thoracic sympathectomy scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2006
- Citation
- 0607241
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- 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.
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