The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension was denied, as the evidence did not show diastolic pressure predominantly at or above 110 or systolic pressure predominantly at or above 200. The claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction on a secondary basis was also denied due to lack of sufficient evidence linking it to his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's blood pressure readings did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and there was no medical opinion linking erectile dysfunction to his hypertension or fungal dermatitis of the feet.
- Claimed conditions
- Hypertension, Erectile Dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 20, 2009
- Citation
- 0906380
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and a higher rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy with muscle weakness, but granted an earlier effective date for the 60 percent disability rating for thrombosis, TIA or cerebral infarction with impairment of sphincter control and voiding dysfunction, and for service connection for pharynx and/or larynx and/or swallowing conditions residuals.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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