The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for his right breast scar status post-surgical excision right breast gynecomastia was denied. The Board found that the criteria for a higher or separate rating were not more nearly approximated.,The Veteran's earlier effective date claim for his right breast scar status post-surgical excision right breast gynecomastia was denied as there is no evidence of a prior claim within one year of separation from service. The RO granted service connection on the date of receipt of claim, May 22, 2015.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for his right wrist ganglion cyst (claimed as right-hand arthritis), sleep apnea (claimed as a sleep disorder), hypertension, and migraine headaches were all denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition to include post-traumatic stress disorder and persistent depressive disorder was also denied.
The deciding factor: The right breast scar did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic codes due to its size, nature, and lack of disabling effects.,There is no evidence of a prior claim within one year of separation from service, so an earlier effective date cannot be established. The RO granted service connection on the date of receipt of claim, May 22, 2015.,The Veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claims for right wrist ganglion cyst (claimed as right-hand arthritis), sleep apnea (claimed as a sleep disorder), hypertension, and migraine headaches. The Board found that the submitted evidence was cumulative or redundant of previous records.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric condition to include post-traumatic stress disorder and persistent depressive disorder was denied.
- Claimed conditions
- right breast scar status post-surgical excision right breast gynecomastia, right wrist ganglion cyst (claimed as right-hand arthritis), sleep apnea (claimed as sleep disorder), hypertension, sinusitis, low back pain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19109113
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19109113.
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- 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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