Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, concluding that the Veteran's condition was not related to his military service or any presumptive conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure. The examiner found no causal link between the Veteran's PTSD and his hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed heart disorders, including ischemic heart disease (IHD) and hypertension. The claims will be considered in light of presumed exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's back disability is presumed to be related to his active service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and peripheral artery disease are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The appellant withdrew his appeals for reopening claims of service connection for a low back disability, hepatitis, left knee disability, lung disability, and hypertension. The Board has dismissed these matters as the appeal was withdrawn.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and therefore service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, hypertension, and a low back disorder. Service connection was denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left upper arm/shoulder disorder, and dental disorder (for VA outpatient treatment purposes). The appeal is pending on the issue of service connection for TBI.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension are related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for low back injury, acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, cardiovascular disorder (other than hypertension), and erectile dysfunction were denied as the evidence did not establish a service connection.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not present in service or within a year of discharge, and are not otherwise etiologically related to service. The Board denied the claims for diabetes mellitus, parathyroid abnormality, kidney stones, elevated calcium levels, hypertension, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and hypersensitivity to light as they were not shown to be due to herbicide exposure or any other basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back condition and other conditions like sleep apnea, hypertension, and carpal tunnel syndrome, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, while hypertension is not due to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus (DM), and ED was not caused or aggravated by DM.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the listed issues.

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

The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence is against finding a low back condition related to service, and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection. The issue of hypertension as secondary to PTSD was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as aggravated by service-connected PTSD and asthma, but denied service connection for hypertension and bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to obtain updated medical records and provide an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's PTSD, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective May 10, 2012, based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD and musculoskeletal disabilities.