The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service. The issues of service connection for bilateral knee conditions and headaches (secondary to PTSD) have been remanded due to deficiencies in prior VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran's lay statements insufficient to establish a nexus between his hypertension, bilateral knee conditions, or headaches and his military service, as these are complex medical issues requiring specialized knowledge. The VA examiners' opinions were given great probative weight but did not address all of the specific questions posed by the Board.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, bilateral knee condition, headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18144765
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 18144765.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma but denied it for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
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