The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent prior to June 30, 2017, and a rating of 40 percent thereafter for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and an initial 10 percent rating for hypertension. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for bilateral hypertensive retinopathy with papillitis was denied.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the earliest ascertainable dates of increased disability as per VA regulations, and the Board's findings that a direct link to service was not established, but secondary service connection was appropriate.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hypertensive retinopathy with papillitis, Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2024
- Citation
- 24002398
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
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