Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a VA examination in connection with his claim of service connection for a nervous disorder. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for hypertension and for an earlier effective date for service connection. The Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension in January 2012 with a May 31, 2005 effective date due to his petition to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, and hypertension. The evidence did not establish a direct link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is being remanded due to pending service connection claims. The Veteran has claimed service connection for various conditions, including malaria, injuries from a vehicle accident, and placement on 'suicide watch'.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, headaches, eye aches, and urinary disabilities were denied as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, liver disorder, prostate disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for anemia was dismissed due to failure to file a timely appeal.,Service connection for hypertension has been granted, with the condition having its onset in service and being secondary to hypertension medication use. The issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction is also granted as it is secondary to hypertension.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea was not addressed due to a lack of substantive appeal, and his claim for an increased rating for pulmonary sarcoidosis remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected ulcerative colitis with complications, including anemia, hypertension, thyroid disturbance, and skin involvement, has resulted in pronounced symptoms leading to marked malnutrition, anemia, and general debility. The condition is productive of a 100% disability rating from April 19, 2012 to August 2, 2014.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. The Board has granted this claim.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for hypertension. The Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service headaches, which are considered a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the Arizona Department of Corrections and considering any new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA disability decision records. The Veteran's lumbar spine claim must be adjudicated on the merits.

The Veteran withdrew all his claims currently on appeal, including those related to type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, PTSD, diabetic retinopathy, bilateral hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's glomerulonephritis and hypertension are related to his service, with the glomerulonephritis resulting from an in-service gastrointestinal illness and the hypertension being secondary to the glomerulonephritis.

The Veteran's hypertension and heart disorder claims are being remanded for additional development to obtain treatment records, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination, and determine the current severity of his conditions.

The Board has reopened the claims for PTSD, hypertension, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's current conditions are presumed to be related to service due to their onset within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's hypertension and chronic kidney disease are granted as service connected. The remaining issues of service connection for various disabilities have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to her active military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's death was caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome due to sepsis and cirrhosis, which were linked to his service-connected PTSD. As a result, the Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.