The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for hypertension was denied because the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. The Board also found that there is no reasonable doubt against granting service connection for peripheral neuropathy bilateral legs secondary to diabetes, but since the Veteran's diabetes is not service-connected, this condition cannot be service-connected as secondary to diabetes.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for hypertension. The Board also found no reasonable doubt against granting service connection for peripheral neuropathy bilateral legs secondary to diabetes, but since the Veteran's diabetes is not service-connected, this condition cannot be service-connected as secondary to diabetes.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, peripheral neuropathy bilateral legs
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19101226
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- 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.
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