The Veteran's nosebleeds are considered the result of a congenital defect and not service-connected. His hypertension is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet his request for an increased rating. His erectile dysfunction is currently rated as noncompensable due to its being related to medication use. His bilateral pes planus remains at 50 percent despite the Veteran's complaints of pain.
The deciding factor: The nosebleeds are found to be a congenital defect and not service-connected, thus no service connection can be granted. The hypertension rating is within the applicable criteria with readings consistently below the threshold for a higher rating. The erectile dysfunction does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating due to its being related to medication use. The bilateral pes planus remains at 50 percent as it is already the highest schedular rating available.
- Claimed conditions
- nosebleeds, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, bilateral pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19131266
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.
- 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.
- 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).
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