The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and neck disabilities, as well as hypertension, were denied. The Board found no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service separation. Service connection was also not granted for PTSD or CAD due to lack of a nexus between the current conditions and service. For hypertension, the Veteran's condition did not have its onset in service, nor was it shown to be related to diabetes or PTSD. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for coronary artery disease were denied as well.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was no evidence of low back, neck, or hypertension disabilities during or within one year after service separation, and thus could not establish service connection based on direct service connection criteria. For PTSD, the Veteran's condition did not have its onset in service, nor was it shown to be related to diabetes or PTSD. For CAD, there was no evidence of a nexus between current conditions and service. The Board also found that hypertension was not caused by or permanently aggravated by PTSD or diabetes.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disability, Neck Disability, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 15, 2017
- Citation
- 1733214
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 1733214.
What this means for you
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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 granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Neck Disability, and Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's active service and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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