Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance for his left knee brace was denied because the evidence did not document continued use of the device, including no sign of recent maintenance or replacement.

The Veteran's back condition is granted as service connected.,Hypertension, claimed as high blood pressure, is denied as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for right leg peripheral vascular disease with right below knee amputation, left leg peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension due to potential herbicide exposure in Vietnam. A new VA examination is needed to consider this new finding.

The Veteran's hypertension has not been found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the schedular criteria. The Board denied an extraschedular rating due to lack of evidence showing marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Board denied service connection for asthma and hypertension, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of a current diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss.,Regarding service connection for cardiovascular disease, to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents and/or as secondary to PTSD, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current condition and any in-service exposures or service-connected conditions. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have not been met.

The Veteran's hypertension, kidney disorder, and PTSD were denied service connection.,PTSD was not found to be related to an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's Barrett's metaplasia is denied as it was not shown to be related to service, including herbicide exposure.,Service connection for a lung disorder (including COPD, asthma, and a nodule in the right lower lung) is remanded due to incomplete development of evidence regarding asbestos exposure during military service.,Service connection for a heart disorder (including coronary artery disease, other ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, and valve abnormalities) is remanded due to incomplete development of evidence regarding herbicide agent exposure during military service.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to incomplete development of evidence regarding PTSD as the potential cause or aggravation.

The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for left and right groin disabilities, hypertension and headache disabilities (secondary to service-connected lumbosacral spondylosis and degenerative disk disease), right ankle disability, left ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, right knee disability, and neck disability.,Further development is needed for these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee pain, ankle disorders, and foot disabilities. The Board also denied his claim for service connection for headaches secondary to hypertension.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as he did not meet the criteria based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence for service connection of various conditions, including hypertension, a left-hand condition, sleep apnea, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran will need to provide updated medical records and undergo examinations to support his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus (type II), and hypertension, all secondary to herbicide exposure during service at Fort Gordon.

Service connection is granted for left knee disability, left ankle disability, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 are rated as appropriate. Service connection for PTSD is denied.,Service connection is denied for tinea versicolor of the face and head, right elbow disability, and left wrist disability.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left foot hallux rigidus, hypertension, a left knee disability, residuals of an aneurysm and TBI, scars, degenerative joint disease of the right first metatarsal phalangeal joint status post total joint replacement with a metal prosthesis (claimed as right foot degenerative disease), and lumbar disc degeneration. The remand is due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a heart disorder, sleep disorder, and hypertension due to new evidence. However, it denied reopening of the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as well as service connection for headaches, diabetes mellitus, COPD, and chronic kidney disease.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus type 2, and granted initial ratings of 20 percent for diabetic polyneuropathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left rotator cuff injury, right rotator cuff injury, hypertension, cirrhosis of the liver, renal cysts and drug abuse have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claim for PTSD and hypertension are both denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and denied service connection for a left ankle disability. Service connection was granted for hypertension due to the persistence of elevated blood pressure during service, despite an initial diagnosis after discharge. The denial of service connection for the left ankle disability is based on the lack of evidence linking current pain to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no new and material evidence to reopen the cases, and his conditions are not currently diagnosed or related to service.