The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for hypertension and a higher initial rating for his back disability have been denied. The Board found that the March 2003 denial of service connection for hypertension was final, and no new or material evidence had been submitted prior to May 12, 2004.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for hypertension is not supported by any application received before May 12, 2004, the date service connection was granted. The Board found that there was no legal authority to assign an earlier effective date as the March 2003 rating decision became final.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, back disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2017
- Citation
- 1746955
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 1746955.
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
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The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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