The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim.,Service connection was granted for erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus. The Board found in favor of the Veteran based on the presence of current disability and symptomatology related to his service-connected condition.,The effective date for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was denied as there was no evidence of a claim prior to August 14, 2012.,An initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Veteran's hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,A higher than 70 percent rating for PTSD was denied as there were no additional symptoms or complications beyond those already established by service connection.,The Board found that the Veteran had not provided new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for hypertension.
The deciding factor: The newly received evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim on appeal, thus is not new and material and this claim is not reopened.,The private treatment records provided by the Veteran indicated a current diagnosis of erectile dysfunction related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board gave the Veteran the benefit of doubt in favor of his claim for secondary service connection.,There was no evidence of an intent to file a claim prior to August 14, 2012, and thus the earliest possible effective date is August 14, 2012.,The Veteran's hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.,There were no additional symptoms or complications beyond those already established by service connection that would warrant a higher than 70 percent rating for PTSD.,The newly received evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim on appeal, thus is not new and material and this claim is not reopened.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, erectile dysfunction, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus with cataracts, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 5, 2018
- Citation
- 18140680
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 18140680.
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 granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- 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.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.