Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses and ambulance transportation services incurred during a non-VA hospitalization at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital from November 28, 2016 through December 2, 2016 were denied as the claims were not filed within 90 days of discharge.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and stroke residuals due to his failure to report for VA examinations without good cause.,Service connection is being remanded as there was no current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, and the evidence does not show a compensable degree of disability within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's heart disability, which includes aortic heart valve disease, was granted a 100% evaluation effective from September 23, 2013. The Veteran's depressive disorder and hypertension were not found to warrant higher initial evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable evaluation have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for hiatal hernia was granted, and service connection for hypertension, PTSD, obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, lumbar spine disability, major depressive disorder, right little finger ankylosis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was denied. The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations for various conditions was also remanded.

The Veteran's depression is granted service connection, but his high blood pressure/hypertension and pancreatitis are denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains November 6, 2013.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted. The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 30 percent from February 9, 2017. The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent effective from February 9, 2017. Service connection for a traumatic brain injury is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension and prostate cancer, was denied. The claim for PTSD received an increased rating to 70 percent effective from April 15, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of sleep apnea, and denied service connection for tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, prostate disability, high cholesterol, migraine headaches prior to December 28, 2016, left knee disability, right knee disability, hypertension, and anxiety disorder.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches from December 28, 2016 onwards have been granted with a 30% rating. The effective date of the award has also been denied.

The Board has remanded four issues: service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to service-connected persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, service connection for hypertension due to in-service herbicide exposure, an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD), and an effective date prior to June 2, 2014, for the award of service connection for CAD. The Veteran's OSA may be related to his service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress, but no examiner has provided a baseline level of severity or degree of disability resulting from aggravation. Hypertension is not on the list of diseases warranting presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure, but there is now sufficient evidence associating hypertension with Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to clarify these issues.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, finding that the conditions did not manifest during active service or to a degree of at least 10% disabling within one year after separation from service. The Board also found no evidence linking these conditions to service-connected sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right foot disabilities, Meniere's disease (claimed as vertigo), hypertension, thrombocytopenia, and tinea versicolor. The reasons given were that the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a relationship to service.

Service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and a mental health disorder (depression) is denied. Ratings are granted for right shoulder strain with osteoarthrosis and right ankle arthrosis, but ratings are denied for other conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims for service connection can be adjudicated on the merits. This includes obtaining VA treatment records, scheduling a hearing loss and tinnitus examination, and scheduling a lumbar spine examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient evidence on record regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly his left knee disability. The issues of service connection for headaches, high blood pressure, a sleep disability, tinnitus, depression, and left knee disability are being referred back to the AOJ.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is not shown to have been productive of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more. As such, a compensable rating for hypertension cannot be granted.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type II. The right foot disorder issue is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records from SSA and VA treatment providers.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and effective dates have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.,The Board also remanded one issue: an evaluation for migraine headaches.