Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and GERD have been denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is pending as the issue has not yet been adjudicated. The Veteran was granted a noncompensable disability rating for GERD prior to May 23, 2008, but no higher.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for type 2 diabetes mellitus and a TDIU. The Veteran was found not to meet the criteria for higher ratings or TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a cervical spine disability was reopened, and service connection is granted. Service connection for migraine headaches and PTSD are also granted with an increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD. The Veteran meets the criteria for total unemployability due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The issues of service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and hypertension, are pending.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension, including whether it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or Agent Orange exposure. The case is REMANDED for a VA examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and therefore denies the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of COPD. The Veteran's asthma has also not improved to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to September 24, 2008 did not meet or approximate the percentage requirements for entitlement to a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). However, the claim must be remanded so that it can be referred to VA's Director, Compensation Service, for initial consideration on an extra-schedular basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to appear at a scheduled videoconference hearing. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension, which he claims is related to his presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam. The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his military service.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure in service and thus denied the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy as not related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated medical records and providing him with VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability was granted, and he is currently rated at 20 percent for instability. He also has degenerative arthritis of the right knee which warrants an additional 10 percent rating under DC 5003.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, hypertension, a deviated nasal septum, peripheral vascular disease, and vertigo. The conditions were not found to be related to his military service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not more closely approximate total impairment with deficiencies in most areas. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's chronic headaches and hypertension are related to his service or a service-connected disability, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, headaches, and hypertension are found to be related to his service-connected PTSD. The claims for these conditions are therefore granted.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on June 6, 2012, for cellulitis of the left lower extremity were denied because they did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and cataracts, finding that the Veteran's reported experiences during service in Vietnam are sufficient to establish fear of hostile enemy action. Service connection for hypertension is also granted as secondary to PTSD.