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Denied

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for depression and hypertension resulting from a VA colonoscopy in April 2010, finding that the Veteran's conditions pre-existed the procedure and were not aggravated by it.

The deciding factor: The medical opinions indicated that the Veteran's depression and anxiety predated the procedure and were not aggravated by any complications of the colonoscopy. The Board found the Veteran's statements less probative than the medical evidence in determining the nature and etiology of his conditions.

Claimed conditions
depression, hypertension
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
September 21, 2020
Citation
20061946

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 20061946.

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