The Veteran's claim for hypertension is granted as it is presumed due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.,The effective date of service connection for CAD is set at March 1, 2017. The earlier effective dates for prostate cancer and its residuals (ED with SMC and a prostatectomy scar) are also granted based on the liberalizing law that added these conditions to presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's claim for ED is granted as secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer, with an effective date of March 1, 2017.
The deciding factor: The PACT Act added hypertension to the list of diseases presumed service connected in veterans exposed to herbicide agents. The Veteran was already awarded service connection for CAD and prostate cancer as due to herbicide agent exposure.,Prostate cancer and ischemic heart disease were added to the list of presumptive disabilities associated with herbicide exposure on specific dates, leading to retroactive effective dates based on the liberalizing law that added these conditions. The Veteran's claim was received more than one year after the effective date of this liberalizing law.,ED is granted as secondary to prostate cancer, and its effective date is set at March 1, 2017, due to the liberalizing law adding prostate cancer to presumptive service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, CAD (ischemic heart disease), prostate cancer, ED (erectile dysfunction), a prostatectomy scar
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2022
- Citation
- 22068847
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 22068847.
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 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.