Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, PTSD, and low back muscle strain, did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 11, 2009. The Board denied an earlier effective date for the TDIU rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service, including active duty and ADT. The claim for a bilateral knee disorder is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, which was listed as cardiopulmonary arrest due to hypertension and diabetes mellitus, is attributable to his active duty service. The Board finds that hypertension began during service and contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and hypertension. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or exposure to Agent Orange that could establish presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's leg cramps are service-connected. The remaining claims for high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and back disability are being remanded.,High cholesterol is not a recognized disability for VA benefits purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension did not have onset in service or within one year of service and was not caused or permanently aggravated by his active military service, to include exposure to herbicide agents or his service connected anxiety disorder or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a personal hearing at the local RO. The issues of service connection and TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to include obtaining medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent and the evidence does not show that it warrants a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension as secondary to his service-connected epididymitis, finding no evidence that the epididymitis caused or aggravated hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are being remanded due to incomplete development. The VA will obtain a new medical opinion regarding whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus, or if they are related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional treatment records, provide proper notice regarding TDIU, and schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 20, 2009. However, for the period on appeal from January 20, 2009 onward, his service-connected disabilities, as likely as not, precluded him from obtaining or maintaining such employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is a direct result of his service, as it existed prior to and continued after his second period of active duty. The evidence does not show that the condition was aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disorder, aching joints, stomach disorder, muscle deterioration, and sleeping disorder are found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death. The appellant is therefore entitled to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated according to the criteria set forth in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The hypertension has been assigned a 10 percent rating, and the right and left ankle disabilities have each been assigned a 20 percent rating. The PTSD and MDD have been assigned a 30 percent rating effective July 28, 2015.

The Board denied an increased rating for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's diastolic pressure readings were predominantly below 110 and his systolic pressure readings did not consistently exceed 200. The evidence showed that the Veteran's hypertension was well-controlled with medication.