The Board has granted an earlier effective date of September 29, 2020 for service connection for hypertension and a grant of service connection for retinal detachment, pseudophakia, cataracts, and asteroid hyalosis (claimed as left eye degenerative eye operation). The Veteran's hypertension was found to be caused by in-service exposure to herbicide. Service connection for coronary artery disease is granted at 100 percent with an effective date of August 4, 2021.
The deciding factor: The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine and determined that there was sufficient evidence to establish a causal nexus between the Veteran's hypertension and in-service herbicide exposure. The earlier effective date for service connection is granted based on the PACT Act presumption of service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Hypertension (high blood pressure), Coronary artery disease (CAD), unstable angina, status post myocardial infarction, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2024
- Citation
- A24080779
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 A24080779.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection and higher initial rating were dismissed due to concurrent election of review options.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to provide the Veteran with notice concerning his right to a hearing on his supplemental claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, has been reopened. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim. However, the claims for coronary artery disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, an effective date prior to February 11, 2014 for the grant of a noncompensable rating for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and service connection for hypertension (high blood pressure) have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder has also been withdrawn. The Board is remanding his claim for tinnitus.
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