The Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been reopened, with the new evidence showing a connection to service.,Service connection has been granted for cervical spine DDD and IVDS, left ankle OA, and OSA as secondary to cervical spine DDD and IVDS.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided testimony indicating he experienced symptoms of hypertension during service and was diagnosed with it after discharge. His STRs did not show any such diagnosis.,Dr. G.C.'s opinion supported the Veteran's claim, linking his cervical spine DDD and IVDS to an in-service motor vehicle accident.
- Claimed conditions
- Hypertension, Acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and anxiety), Cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), Left ankle osteoarthritis (OA), Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19132495
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
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