Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence of their onset in service or within one year after separation, and the Board finds that they are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension due to herbicide exposure. The claim for prostate cancer is pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete consideration of all evidence and inadequate addendum opinions. The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus are being reviewed again for possible aggravation by his periods of active service.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic renal failure with hypertension provides a greater benefit than the requested nonservice-connected pension benefits and TDIU. Therefore, these claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected depression with PTSD and anxiety warrants a 70 percent rating for the entire period on appeal. The Board found that his symptoms cannot be distinguished from each other, so all psychiatric symptoms are considered in the adjudication of the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was shock resulting from bleeding secondary to a femoral catheter insertion, with end-stage renal disease as the underlying cause. The evidence does not support service connection for hypertension, end-stage renal disease, or shock due to femoral catheter insertion.

The Veteran's death pension and accrued benefits appeals were dismissed as the Appellant withdrew her claims. The DIC claim was remanded for additional development.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and granted a higher rating of 30 percent for GERD. The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, tinnitus at 10 percent, and bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's hypertension has not been found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,His sleep apnea claim was denied as he does not have a diagnosed condition of sleep apnea, but rather insomnia related to his service-connected anxiety and depression.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or any other form of presumed exposure. The diagnoses do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, including for a VA examination regarding his hypertension.

The Veteran's causes of death (acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and hypertension) were not service-connected. The residuals of a fractured right rib at a noncompensable level did not cause or contribute substantially to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a right leg condition, cervical sprain, and hypertension. The Veteran's seizure disorder claim was also denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The Veteran's non-service-connected pension benefits claim was denied due to lack of legal merit.

The Veteran's claim for SMC payable at the housebound rate prior to May 3, 2008 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for this benefit due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not otherwise attributable to service. The claim for secondary service connection based on diabetes mellitus was also denied as there was no causal relationship established.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete compliance with previous remands and need for new examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tension headaches was denied in a May 1969 rating decision. The effective date of the grant of service connection for tension headaches is October 26, 2010.

The Board found that hypertension was not manifest during or within one year of the Veteran's discharge from service and did not find a causal relationship between his current condition and service, including as a result of exposure to toxic substances.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance of another person or being housebound is denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether hypertension and sleep apnea are related to service, granting service connection for both conditions.