Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for arterial hypertension is moot due to its grant. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, PTSD, and allergic rhinitis have all been found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, eye conditions, coronary artery disease, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that his TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has determined that additional VA treatment records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and erectile dysfunction. The case is therefore being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating or additional service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating or service connection for any of the conditions listed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hearing loss disability, finding new and material evidence. Both conditions are now considered to be related to active duty.,Service connection is granted for right knee traumatic arthritis.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hypertension is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional development of records.

The Veteran's kidney disorder (Nephrolithiasis) is considered to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Hypertension has not been established as being related to the Veteran's military service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, as well as his requests for SMC and TDIU. The issues of higher ratings for peripheral neuropathy were not addressed.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including hypertension, a deviated nasal septum, meralgia paresthetica, and posttraumatic migraine headaches. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cardiovascular disability and to determine whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for major depression (secondary to cardiovascular disability).

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied, while he was awarded TDIU. The depression claim was reopened based on new evidence suggesting a possible secondary relationship to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case to allow the Veteran to have a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The claims for service connection will be further evaluated.

The Veteran's GERD is found to be aggravated by his service-connected IBS, and he is granted service connection for this condition. His hypertension is rated at 20 percent prior to October 28, 2015, and at 50 percent thereafter.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and the claim to reopen a claim of service connection for an eye injury.,There is no evidence showing that the Veteran currently has or had an eye disability, and the preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his in-service uvula excision, sleep apnea, or hypertension. The claims for these conditions were denied as they are not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to process concerns and additional evidence received after the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for hypertension will be readjudicated based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction and hypertension have been denied as there is no credible evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other confirmed Agent Orange exposure. The conditions were not diagnosed until many years after service.