The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. Service connection for hypertension (HTN) is granted and the appeal is remanded for further examination to determine if service connection should be granted for bilateral foot, knee, neck, or right shoulder disorders.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a rating in excess of 30 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder. Service connection for hypertension (HTN) is granted based on the presumption that it was incurred in service due to its chronic nature and continuity since separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety and Depression, Hypertension (HTN), Bilateral Foot Disorder, Bilateral Knee Disorder, Neck Disorder, Right Shoulder Disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 15, 2023
- Citation
- 23066393
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 23066393.
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 Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, as it is related to his service-connected major depressive disorder. The VA examiner's opinion was inadequate and less probative due to its failure to provide a direct service connection opinion or an aggravation opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and anxiety disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected hypertension and somatic symptom disorder are denied. The Board has remanded the claims for cardiovascular, peripheral artery disease, and lung cancer with emphysema.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly regarding his shoulder disorders and nasal surgeries. The claims for service connection have been remanded.
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