Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's tinnitus and coronary artery disease have been granted service connection. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied due to lack of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology. The skin disorder claim remains pending as no VA examiner has provided an opinion on its etiology. Service connection for hypertension is also pending, with the issue being whether it is related to herbicide exposure. Low back and knee disorders are still under consideration.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated as compensable because the diastolic pressure readings were predominantly less than 100 and systolic pressure readings were predominantly less than 160, which does not meet the criteria for a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension was denied. His right foot disability, rated as 30 percent disabling under DC 5276 and now rated at 40 percent under DC 5284, is granted. The Veteran also received a grant of TDIU based on his combined service-connected disabilities.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, a disability characterized as angiodysplasia and/or anemia, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and bleeding ulcers, all claimed to be due to exposure to ionizing radiation during military service. The evidence does not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities, service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension secondary to his major depressive disorder, as well as for a VA examination in each case.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension as it was not incurred in or related to service, and is not proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's hypertension was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,For anxiety disorder, NOS to include depressed mood, prior to December 9, 2016, the Veteran was denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent due to his symptoms being controlled by medication and he maintained employment.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. However, the claim for a respiratory condition remains denied.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any negligence or fault on the part of VA in providing medical care. The Board found no causal connection between the Veteran’s death and any hospital care, medical or surgical treatment provided by VA.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, OSA, and headache disability are granted service connection. However, hypertension is denied as it did not manifest within one year of the Veteran's discharge from active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and service, including presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, bilateral elbow disorder (to include arthritis), bilateral knee disorder (to include arthritis), bilateral hand disorder (to include arthritis), and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's lay statements suggest these conditions may be related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Capital Regional Medical Center due to a mild bleeding condition, finding that it did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a heart disability, and an eye disability have been denied. The denial of the hypertension claim is final as no new and material evidence was received within one year of the November 2008 rating decision. For the heart disability claims, there is no current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease or other related conditions due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection cannot be established on a presumptive basis for these disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability are not service-connected as they did not manifest to a compensable degree within the one-year presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology is not established.,Service connection for a pulmonary/respiratory disability was denied due to lack of evidence linking it to in-service exposure.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted with a 10% rating. The ratings for acne rosacea and bunionectomy are remanded due to the need for further examination during an active period of flare-up.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and for further development of his service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of sufficient medical evidence to make a decision on these matters. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to address the current nature and etiology of his asserted stroke with residual ataxia, hypertension, and encephalopathy with amyloid angiopathy.

The Veteran's cause of death was a ruptured abdominal aneurysm, but the Board found that his hypertension and kidney disease did not contribute to his death. The conditions were not service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected schizoaffective disorder contributed substantially and materially to his death, which was caused by acute respiratory failure due to hypertension. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.