Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability and hypertension have been granted. The claim for an undiagnosed illness has been remanded due to the need for additional examination.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and found that new and material evidence has been submitted. The specific theory of service connection is not specified in the decision summary.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and a heart disorder (to include a heart attack), finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam or along the DMZ in Korea during the period from April 1968 through August 1971. Therefore, exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange is not presumed; nor is there probative evidence of exposure to herbicide agents at any time during service.

The Veteran's PTSD is as likely as not of such nature and severity as to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, thus meeting the criteria for a TDIU award since May 17, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the nature of his psychiatric condition and whether he can work due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left shoulder disability, elevated blood sugar (including diabetes mellitus), hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy are granted on the basis of presumptive exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further clarification and opinion regarding its relationship to service, particularly given his presumed exposure to herbicides. The issue of whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected hypothyroidism is also being addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hypertension and bilateral hearing loss are not related to his service, including noise exposure. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes at the time of the examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board concerning both issues of service connection for hypertension and a right hip disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, skin disability, and hypertension, have been denied. The appeals are based on direct evidence or lack thereof.

The Board granted service connection for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as secondary to service-connected COPD, hypertension, peripheral edema, and skin disorder. The other conditions were not found to be related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated during active service, nor are they related to a service-connected disability. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for hypertension and entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, as well as his claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrists and right and left knee disorders. The AOJ is instructed to schedule a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge and obtain relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current stomach condition or any other service-connected disabilities, and thus cannot grant service connection for these issues.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and hypertension, finding no evidence of current diagnoses or a link to service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated in service, may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated, and is not proximately the result of or chronically aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as he did not provide evidence of a current disability or link to service. The Board found no evidence of undiagnosed illnesses or medically unexplained multisymptom illnesses.