The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition did not worsen during her active duty for training (ACDUTRA).,The Board also denied service connection for bilateral hand disability, concluding that there was no link between the current disabilities and in-service complaints or work as a stenographer.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence showing that the Veteran's pre-existing hypertension worsened during her ACDUTRA. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran’s current condition was not caused by service.,The May 2019 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's bilateral hand trigger fingers and degenerative joint disease (DJD) were more likely due to normal aging, childhood fracture, or unrelated to her military service.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Hypertension","diagnosis_date":null,"current_diagnosis":true}, {"condition_name":"Bilateral Hand Disability","diagnosis_date":null,"current_diagnosis":true}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19163981
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 19163981.
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
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