The Veteran's claims for service connection for muscle spasms of the low back, blurred vision due to cataracts (now claimed as dry eyes), sleep apnea, hypertension, and benign neoplasms of the heart were all denied. The denial was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted after it was determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in a previous rating decision.
The deciding factor: The new and material evidence submitted did not provide sufficient information to establish a link between the claimed conditions and military service. The Veteran's statements regarding his duties as a paratrooper were found to be insufficient to constitute new and material evidence.,There was no new or additional evidence provided that could establish a connection between the diagnosed conditions and military service.
- Claimed conditions
- muscle spasms of the low back, blurred vision due to cataracts (now claimed as dry eyes), sleep apnea, hypertension, benign neoplasms of the heart
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18102709
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 18102709.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
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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