Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board denied all claims for increased ratings or service connection, finding that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for any of the issues presented.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran does not have a current disability of hypertension related to his military service.

The claim of service connection for high blood pressure has been reopened and granted. The claims for bilateral foot disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral elbow disability, obstructive sleep apnea, left varicocele (claimed as testicle growth), and prostate disability have all been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's cataracts are not related to service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's current hypertension is not at least as likely as not caused by in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's hypertension, which is not presumed service-connected. The RO must obtain all relevant medical records and schedule a VA examination for an opinion on whether the hypertension is related to service or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II.,Obstructive sleep apnea is denied as the evidence does not support a connection with service.,Hypertension is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis and no continuity of symptomatology.,High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) is considered a laboratory finding and not a current disability for VA purposes.,A stomach condition other than irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diverticulitis and diverticulosis is denied as there is no evidence of such a condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential service connection issues, including a need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II as secondary to his service-connected hypertension is being remanded due to the need for a more detailed opinion from the VA examiner.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for bronchitis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease as the Veteran withdrew his appeal before a decision was made.

This decision grants service connection for sleep apnea and TDIU, but denies an increased rating for PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70%.,The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a 100% disability rating for PTSD due to his ability to maintain social relationships with family and fellow veterans despite his symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for a recurrent lumbosacral spine disorder, recurrent hypertension, and prostate condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, degenerative arthritis of the knees, hypertension, obesity, IVDS with secondary obesity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The Board has granted a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability prior to September 14, 2018.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of Parkinson’s disease, hypertension, and kidney cancer due to new evidence received since the last final denial. The issues are remanded as they involve medical determinations that require further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for psoriasis, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, bladder cancer, and peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure. The cases are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a headache disorder, respiratory condition, hypertension, insomnia, peripheral vascular disease of the left and right lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD) due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board finds that there is a possibility that his hypertension may be related to his diabetes and herbicide exposure, warranting further examination.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The appeal on issues regarding migraine headaches and allergic rhinitis was not timely filed, resulting in denial.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation higher than 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as there is no legal basis for such a benefit and the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to October 22, 2015, for service connection for left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during service or within one year of service.,The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy are remanded as the most recent examination was in 2015.

The Board has denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and dismissed claims for sleep apnea, hypertension. The Veteran's appeals of other issues have been withdrawn.