Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for COPD, hypertension, and a bilateral eye disability. The Veteran's COPD was not found to be related to service exposure or asbestos/gas exposure. His hypertension was determined not to have been incurred in service and is not considered secondary to any service-connected condition.,Service connection for the Veteran’s bilateral eye disability was also denied as there was no evidence linking it to his service.

The Veteran's heart murmur is not a disability for VA purposes, and service connection cannot be granted.,Sleep apnea has been rated at the maximum 50% level due to use of CPAP machine. It does not meet criteria for higher ratings based on respiratory failure or tracheostomy.,Right shoulder degenerative joint disease is currently rated as 20%, which aligns with limitation of motion at shoulder level (170 degrees flexion).,Left knee tendonitis has been rated at the maximum 10% level, reflecting no more than normal range of motion and pain on movement.,Hypertension has not required compensable ratings as it is controlled by medication with diastolic pressure below 100 and systolic pressure consistently below 160.,Psoriasis affects less than five percent of exposed or unexposed areas without requiring systemic corticosteroid or immunosuppressive drugs.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of lipoma excision was denied due to lack of material evidence. The Board found no current disability related to the claimed condition.,Service connection for stroke residuals, eating disorder, urinary disorder (frequent urination), sleep disorder, erectile dysfunction, and neck scars were all denied as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.,The Veteran's GERD and hypertension were also denied as there was no indication that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including vision problems, back disorder, hypertension, CAD and prostate cancer, are not related to his military service. The appeals for these claims have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to outstanding records and additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is causally related to his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension and found that new and material evidence had been received. The issue is now on remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding whether the hypertension is related to active duty service or secondary to PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the previously denied claim. The Board also found that there is no medical evidence linking the hypertension to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected due to diabetes, but it may be aggravated by diabetes. The case is being sent back for a new VA opinion on whether the aggravation of hypertension by diabetes is at least as likely as not.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertension and finds no evidence linking his current condition to service. As such, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional examinations and development of records, particularly regarding his prostate condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain SSA records and provide additional medical opinions regarding his hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for hypertension was withdrawn. The Board granted an increased rating of 10 percent for post-traumatic degenerative arthritis, right (dominant) elbow from January 25, 2016 to February 28, 2017 and a rating of 30 percent since then.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals, including those for service connection and nonservice-connected pension.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA audiological examination and heart disorder examination. The claims will be readjudicated after all development has been completed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board finds that the evidence is against a finding of current disabilities related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an increased evaluation for lichen planus. The claim for hypertension was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active service or herbicide exposure, and continuity of symptomatology has not been established. For lichen planus, the Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7822.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for the cause of the Veteran's death due to his service-connected PTSD, which contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's PTSD with other specified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent since March 29, 2011. The Board finds that the Veteran's PTSD prior to May 9, 2011, most closely approximates a 100 percent rating due to total occupational and social impairment caused by suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, near-continuous panic or depression affecting ability to function independently, appropriate and effectively, and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. As of May 9, 2011, the Veteran's PTSD manifests with symptoms including depression, self-isolation, nightmares, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts, causing occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and therefore grants service connection for hypertension on a secondary basis.