Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for hypertension, right lower extremity musculoskeletal disability (arthritis/right knee osteoarthritis), left lower extremity joint disability (arthritis/left knee osteoarthritis), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disability, hypertension, cervical spine/ neck disability, low back disability, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral arms and hands, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral legs, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral feet disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, thyroid disability, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and acquired psychiatric disorder to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nervous disorder, anxiety, and depression.

The claims for service connection for scarring alopecia (claimed as hair loss) and PTSD have been rendered moot due to the complete grant of benefits. The remaining issues, including sleep apnea, vestibular disorder other than vertigo, TBI, fibromyalgia, back disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, eye disorder, respiratory disorder, hypertension, and skin disorder other than scarring alopecia, are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, sleep apnea, and PTSD due to the need for further development of evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for heart disability, hypertension, residuals of bladder cancer, and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Taiwan.

The Board denied service connection for gout of the bilateral feet and hypertension, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's depressive disorder was rated at 50%.,Service connection for gout of the bilateral feet was denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis or onset.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of hypertension and glaucoma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of a higher rating for arthritis of the lumbar spine, a compensable rating for residuals of fracture of the right tibia and fibula, and a compensable rating for hypertension due to missing VA treatment records from April 2014 to December 2015. The appellant will be given an opportunity to respond after these records are obtained.

The Board has granted service connection for Chronic Kidney Disease and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for Hypertension as secondary or aggravated by service-connected CKD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU since January 5, 2010. However, the claim for service connection for hypertension is remanded due to a lack of medical opinion on its relationship to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart disorder, hypertension, and ulcerative colitis. The evidence did not show that these conditions began during service or were related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has denied an increased rating for hypertension and remanded the claim for lumbosacral strain to include sciatica and DDD due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the appellant's thoracolumbar disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder due to a lack of medical examination or opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left heel spurs, left ankle disorder, hypertension, and thoracolumbar spine disorder have been denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or medical nexus to current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lupus, hypertension as secondary to lupus, and lupus scars due to a lack of official record of the November 2017 rating decision granting these conditions. The validity of this decision must be confirmed by the RO.

The Veteran's pancreatic cancer is granted service connection, but his hypertension and diabetic nephropathy are denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetic nephropathy is set at November 30, 2007. His diabetes mellitus type II remains rated at 20 percent, while his diabetic nephropathy is rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including blood clots, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, fallen arches, and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD), have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and hypertension, finding that the conditions did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology was not established. The Veteran's current disabilities are considered to be due to his civilian occupation as a corrections officer.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. Service connection claims for other conditions are remanded for further development.