The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (excluding PTSD) is denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis and insufficient link between the claimed in-service stressor and current symptoms.,Service connection for PTSD is denied. The Veteran did not meet all criteria, including credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred.,Service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, cervical degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and bilateral hip disability are all denied.
The deciding factor: The May 2019 VA physician's opinion established a link between the Veteran’s hypertension and service due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran engaged in combat but did not meet the criteria for direct service connection as his acquired psychiatric disorder was not shown within one year of separation.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis or credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred, leading to denial of service connection for PTSD.,The STRs and post-service records do not show any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses related to the claimed disabilities. The Veteran's contentions are not sufficient to establish an in-service event.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, adjustment disorder, mixed anxiety and depression, PTSD
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20077685
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 20077685.
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.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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