Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension are all found to be related to his military service. The Board granted the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and a rating in excess of 30 percent for nephropathy with hypertension and edema. The TDIU claim was granted, but at a lower rating than requested.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for arthritis, ocular hypertension, and a gastrointestinal disorder. He also seeks compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to complications from gall bladder surgery in March 2002. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before these claims can be decided.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting SMC based on aid and attendance prior to May 10, 2017.

The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension. The examiner must address whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by service-connected disabilities or related to exposure to an herbicide agent such as Agent Orange.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service, including exposure to jet fuel and other chemicals. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began in or were aggravated by active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 7, 1990 for the award of PTSD. The issues regarding reopening service connection claims for hypertension and a heart disability, as well as the propriety of withholding compensation benefits due to incarceration, are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diabetes and hypertension.

The Board has received notification from the Veteran that he wishes to withdraw his appeal regarding the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for high cholesterol. Additionally, the Veteran's representative indicated in an Informal Hearing Presentation that the appeal is resolved based on the post-remand grants of service connection and the withdrawal of the high cholesterol issue.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure the Veteran's claims are evaluated properly, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and sleep apnea.

The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for hypertension, either as directly related to service or secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's hypertension was diagnosed after his separation from active duty and there is no clear cause-effect relationship established between it and his service.

The Veteran's hypertension and back disability have not been found to be related to service.,VA has determined that the Veteran's CAD warrants a 30 percent rating prior to November 7, 2016, and a 60 percent rating thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder, hypertension, knee joint pains, myalgia, weight loss, and fatigue have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a current disability or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension due to additional development being required, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any current hypertension disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is attributable to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there was no credible evidence of service in Vietnam and thus no basis for presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6)(iii).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss since September 30, 2014 is denied. The Board also found that there is no evidence of service connection for hypertension or residuals of frostbite.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his occupational functioning. The issue of entitlement to an extraschedular rating will also be remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension did not begin during service or within one year of separation, and was not shown to be related to any in-service disease or injury. The Board also determined that there is no evidence of continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension due to new and material evidence. However, a VA examination is needed to determine whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to active service or caused by his service-connected PTSD.