The Board granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder, and assigned a 60% rating. The Board also granted initial ratings of 20% for right lower extremity sciatic nerve disorder and 60% for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, and granted TDIU.

The deciding factor: The hypertension was found to be secondary to the service-connected unspecified depressive disorder due to reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. The ratings were assigned based on the severity of the disabilities as supported by medical evidence.

Claimed conditions

hypertension, lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity sciatic nerve disorder

How they argued it

Secondary to another service-connected condition

Exposure basis

Camp Lejeune water

Rating assigned

60%

Decision date

November 5, 2025

Citation

25013716

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine