The Board has granted service connection for a cervical trapezius disability, claimed as muscle tension (neck disorder), to include as secondary to service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,The Board has also granted service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The March 2018 and September 2019 VA examiners opined that the Veteran's neck disorder was proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The Board found these opinions more probative, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical trapezius disability, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20063249
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 20063249.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 10% rating for hypertension effective December 1, 2025 and denied a rating in excess of 10%. The reduction from 10% to noncompensable was not proper.
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