Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, residual neurological deficits following stroke, and CAD are not related to service. The claims for secondary service connection have also been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension due to inadequate medical opinion and further development is required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and meralgia paresthetica of the left thigh as secondary to a kidney disability. The Veteran's cervical spine (neck) disability is found to be related to his period(s) of active service. An initial compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for hypertension, but further development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that these conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to cause the Veteran's death. The independent medical opinion concluded that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal regarding a higher disability rating for his psychiatric disabilities has been withdrawn. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed disability manifested by fatigue, hypertension, or dermatitis/eczema (claimed as skin irritation on the legs and arms). His headaches are service connected as tension headaches.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is due to his service-connected coronary artery disease and granted service connection for it. For his bilateral knee disability, the Board determined there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure in Guam and clarification on the etiology of his sleep apnea and depression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete development and the inextricability of issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed cardiac disorder and hypertension did not have their onset during service or are otherwise related to active military service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining dose estimates and referring the case to the Under Secretary for Benefits.

The Veteran was found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities from December 5, 1996, to September 9, 1997. He is also entitled to an additional allowance of DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1311(a)(2) as he was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, which began during service or within a year of separation, contributed substantially to his death from sudden cardiac death due to arteriosclerotic heart disease. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for breathing problems and equilibrium problems, but remanded the hypertension claim due to insufficient evidence. The hypertension claim is being referred back for an addendum opinion addressing whether it was related to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, obesity, skin disability, low back and neck disabilities, Meniere's disease, heart disability, emphysema, PTSD, bronchitis, genitourinary disability, acid peptic disease, eye infections, and hypertension.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for hypertension and lupus erythematosus, but the case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the likelihood of these conditions being related to active duty or other relevant factors.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and service connection for this condition has been granted. The other issues on appeal are pending further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during service in Okinawa, Japan. The Appellant must provide details of the alleged exposure and VA will attempt to verify this information through Compensation Service and the JSRRC.