Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no competent or credible evidence linking his current condition to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed heart condition, including hypertension and tachycardia. Additionally, the AOJ must consider whether any further development is needed before deciding the Veteran's claim for service connection for current residuals of TBI.

The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, hyposmia as a residual of oral surgery, and headache condition. Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), eczema of the bilateral lower extremities, and residuals of oral surgery. The Veteran's current diagnoses are found to be related to his service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during his active service and is related to his service, while hypertension may be due to presumed in-service herbicide exposure. The issue of whether hypertension is aggravated by PTSD remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep apnea, coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam or any other overseas location where he could have been exposed to herbicides. Therefore, his claims for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability, a right knee disability, a left knee disability, a lumbar spine disability, a right hip disability, a left hip disability, a disability manifested by right leg pain and swelling, a disability manifested by left leg pain and swelling, and chronic kidney disease cannot be granted on the basis of presumptive exposure to herbicides. The Board also found no direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims, and the diagnoses of the claimed conditions were not established during or related to active service.,Service connection was also denied for vertigo, chloracne, a disorder manifested by generalized sores, color blindness, respiratory disorders (shortness of breath), and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension did not have its onset during service and is not otherwise related to a service-connected disability, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's COPD is etiologically related to active military service and therefore grants service connection for COPD. The hypertension issue remains pending as no VA examination was provided.

The case is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from the Social Security Administration. The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating will be reconsidered after this information is obtained.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected Graves' disease, including related hypothyroidism. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension secondary to Graves' disease is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including end-stage renal failure and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, do not render him unemployable as he is actively pursuing a university degree.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for avascular necrosis, status post right hip arthroplasty, migraine headaches, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for a right knee disability is pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypoglycemia and hypertension were denied as the evidence did not show that he met the criteria for a higher disability rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if hypertension is related to service or any other conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, including exposure to herbicides. Service connection is denied.

The Veteran's death was caused by acute myeloid leukemia, which the VA physician determined is not a B-cell leukemia. The Board finds that there is no link between the immediate or contributory causes of the Veteran's death and his service, including presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's hypertension developed secondary to his service-connected PTSD and was granted service connection. The low back disability is not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied as it does not constitute a compensable disability. The claim of service connection for hypertension (HTN) was previously denied and new evidence received since the last denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The Veteran's PTSD warrants a 50 percent rating throughout from May 2008, based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.