Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Board found no evidence of a thyroid disorder, hypertension, or obstructive sleep apnea in service. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a disability for which service connection is sought. As such, no service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and headaches secondary to PTSD with impaired sleep due to incomplete development of his service records, lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives, and inadequate medical opinions. The case is now returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension and impotency have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's hypertension has been continuously treated with medication and predominantly manifested by diastolic pressure readings of 100 mmHg or more. The Board finds a 10 percent rating is warranted for the entire period on appeal.

The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed, as her symptoms are at least as likely as not related to her military service. The claim for hypertension will be remanded due to incomplete records.

The Veteran's PTSD with mood disorder has been characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to difficulty in understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and vocational experience.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and epistaxis are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an addendum opinion from a qualified medical examiner.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension are being remanded due to inconsistencies in the examination reports and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and hypertension associated with PTSD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to November 1, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's urticaria of the neck, chest, and groin is related to his period of service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to obtain an adequate VA opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension, including whether it is related to herbicide exposure and/or secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and hypertension, finding no evidence of these conditions during his period of active service or within a year after separation. The Board also found that there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of diabetes, heart disability, or respiratory disabilities. The claim for throat cancer is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination to determine if the Veteran's hypertension is due to his military service, specifically herbicide exposure. The issue of secondary service connection for hypertension remains pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is found to be etiologically related to service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for hypertension and determined that it is service connected. The issues of heart murmur, right leg pain, and left leg pain are remanded due to lack of medical records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disability and hypertension, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the issues of service connection for hypertension and rectal bleeding, both as secondary to prostate cancer, status-post RALP with urinary incontinence; and entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetes mellitus. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and there is no evidence that any of his conditions were aggravated by service. The Board finds the VA examiner's opinion more probative than Dr. R.D.'s opinion regarding PTSD contributing to death.