Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as due to his service-connected disabilities, is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination, insufficient evidence on the relationship between his disabilities and service or service-connected conditions, and need for updated medical records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claim of service connection for hypertension, including as secondary to service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, and cardiovascular disease to include hypertension and congestive heart failure. The Veteran was not exposed to herbicides in Vietnam, and there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion to determine if it is related to service or caused by his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and providing a supplemental opinion regarding the aggravation of hypertension by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for additional development to determine its relationship to his military service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his military service and does not meet the criteria for secondary service connection due to a service-connected disability. The claim for service connection for hypertension is therefore denied.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in service and is denied. The residuals of a left zygomatic arch fracture have been rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, including as related to exposure to herbicides or secondary to PTSD, is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's headaches have been rated at 50% since the entire period on appeal, with very frequent prostrating and prolonged attacks causing severe economic inadaptability.

The Board found no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment for hypertension in service, and denied the Veteran's claim. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish that his current headaches are related to service.

The Veteran's kidney failure and hypertension are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The reduction of the PTSD disability rating from 50% to 30% is upheld.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of those related to PTSD and depressive disorder. The remaining conditions are either already established or not yet determined.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the denial of service connection for a heart condition, a kidney condition, and hypertension in an August 2016 written statement.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records and to provide a VA examiner with information about the Veteran's death, including his service-connected hypertension. The examiner will then determine if any of these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service or contributed to his cause of death.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD with bipolar disorder was granted, and an initial disability rating of 70 percent was assigned.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for hypertension, acquired psychiatric disability (insomnia and depression), numbness of bilateral upper arms, headaches, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine prior to August 20, 2009 and after October 31, 2009 are denied.

The Veteran's hypertension has not been productive of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more; or a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more. The schedular criteria are adequate to evaluate the Veteran's hypertension at all points pertinent to the appeal.