Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and hypertension as secondary to PTSD. The claims for residuals of a back injury, kidney condition, nerve condition, and hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, which is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with ED is rated at 20 percent, but this is also denied as he was not required to regulate his activities to control his symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and coronary artery disease due to insufficient medical evidence on file.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension was denied, and his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, which is required for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7101. Additionally, the Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he could not secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and high blood pressure are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and high blood pressure are related to his military service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking his diagnosed conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly pension based on aid and attendance is granted as the evidence shows he needed regular aid and assistance at the time of his September 2011 informal claim.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, hypertension, and acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease) due to lack of current diagnoses in the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic low back pain, right foot bunions, left foot bunions, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and hypertension, prohibited her from securing or following substantially gainful employment since January 2009. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's tension migraine headaches are rated as 50 percent disabling, effective September 21, 2018. Effective January 24, 2014, the Veteran is also granted SMC at the housebound rate due to his service-connected PTSD and additional disabilities with a combined rating of 70 percent.

The Board is unable to grant the claim based on the evidence of record, but a VA addendum opinion is required due to medical journal articles suggesting an association between diabetes and hypertension. The Veteran's attorney provided multiple medical journal articles regarding the relationship between hypertension and diabetes.

The Board has decided to remand twelve service connection claims for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and verifying the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents. The remaining fourteen issues were previously denied in a November 2014 rating decision and require issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board denied service connection for bone spurs, body pain, glaucoma, asthma, and high blood pressure as there was no evidence of their onset during service or a link to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding no probative evidence supporting a relationship between his hypertension and in-service exposure to herbicides or his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the cases of obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial compensable rating for hypertension prior to August 14, 2015 and to a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter is dismissed. The claims for service connection for left ankle disorder, right shoulder infraspinatus tear with adhesive capsulitis, and recurrent right ankle sprain with degenerative changes are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as claustrophobia and generalized anxiety disorder), and hypertension due to exposure to environmental hazards in the Gulf War. The claims are being returned for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that the VA examination for PTSD is inadequate, and thus remands the case to obtain a new examination. The issues of service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and insomnia) are also remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection. The ratings for right and left ankle strains were denied, with one issue remanded.,Service connection for hypertension is granted.