Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that additional medical records are needed to fully evaluate the Veteran's claims, and a new VA examination is required for several issues. The effective date of service connection for migraine headaches remains under review.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD, and his claim to reopen the residuals of CVAs have all been denied. The TDIU claim has been remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for fibromyalgia, bilateral neurological disability of the upper extremities (likely sciatica), and other service-connected conditions have been dismissed. The issues of higher ratings for lower back and cervical spine disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for hypertension and entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status. The Veteran's appeal is not resolved regarding these matters.

The Board has granted service connection for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. The cases of hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, gamekeeper's thumb, onychomycosis, right knee strain with degenerative joint disease, cervical strain with degenerative disc disease, and lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease are all remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of hypertension in service or within one year of separation from service. The Board also found that hypertension is not related to herbicide agent exposure and did not find a relationship between hypertension and active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals.,The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on housebound status has also been dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for kidney stones and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and CUE in several rating decisions, finding that no legal merit existed to grant these requests.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The request to reopen the finally disallowed claims of service connection for hypertension and PFS of the right knee, as well as for psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, to include the elbows, hands, feet, right knee, and fingers, are all granted. However, the claim for an increased rating for PFS of the left knee with Baker's cyst is denied.

Your claims for service connection have been dismissed as you have withdrawn them.

The Veteran's tension headaches are found to be related to his service-connected tinnitus and anxiety disorders.,The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder with panic disorder and major depressive disorder is found to be related to his service-connected tinnitus, left ankle injury, and anxiety disorders.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe with psychotic features is granted as service connected. Her tension headaches and migraines are also granted as secondary to her major depressive disorder. The cases of tinnitus, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, hypertension, and a left knee disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as there is no link between his current condition and his military service. His hypertension claim is also denied because it was not shown in service or within one year post-service. For the left knee disability, the Board found that recent medical opinion was inadequate and remanded for an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, an increased rating for diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, and an earlier effective date for TDIU were all denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been properly evaluated, and additional evidence is needed to determine the current severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current disabilities to service, except for hypertension which was not shown in service or within one year of separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis, blindness, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is being remanded due to the failure of a VA examination. The examiner will need to determine if the current hearing impairment is related to his active duty service, including noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the highest level of aid and attendance was denied as he does not meet the legal criteria for such benefit under 38 U.S.C. § 1114 (r).