Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence, granting service connection for hypertension. The Board also granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to hypertension. The cause of death is attributed to coronary artery disease and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for hypertension due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to herbicide exposure and stress in service, as well as whether it is proximately due or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. Service connection is remanded for PTSD.,PTSD service connection is remanded as the examiner's opinion regarding its etiology needs to be clarified.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and a 50 percent rating for sinusitis, effective April 19, 2009. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to the service-connected sinusitis is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service acoustic trauma.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to in-service herbicide exposure, with diabetes mellitus being a contributing factor. ,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for hypertension, increased ratings for right heel spur surgery sequelae, right great toe disability, and low back disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cataracts and hypertension due to conflicting opinions on whether these conditions are related to diabetes mellitus type II, and because there is a lack of evidence regarding the relationship between hypertension and exposure to herbicides.

The claim for service connection for back disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claims for hypertension, substance abuse disorder as secondary to a psychiatric disorder, and psychiatric disorder were remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for anxiety disorder NOS is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran should be provided with a VA examination to determine if his hypertension is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and requesting addendum opinions from a qualified VA physician to address the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and sleep apnea.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from April 7, 2017. The case is remanded for further action regarding the prior period and for extraschedular consideration of his IHD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and GERD are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The initial rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy remains at 10 percent, but the Veteran is entitled to a higher rating due to his lumbar spondylosis and degenerative osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart condition (coronary artery disease), and hypertension. The Veteran's tinnitus is linked to his in-service noise exposure. Diabetes mellitus, heart condition, and hypertension are not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of nasal fracture, and denied service connection for depression, OSA, and hypertension.,The Board also denied a compensable evaluation for residuals of a nasal fracture.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right foot disorders, as well as hypertension, all presumed to be due to exposure to herbicides during military service. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his service.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as noncompensable. The evidence does not show that his diastolic pressure was predominantly 100 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, even with medication.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia, acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and benign prostate hyperplasia with voiding problems due to incomplete VA records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and a skin disorder. The Board found that these conditions did not manifest during or are otherwise related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated as noncompensable, and his tension headaches are rated at 30 percent. The tension headaches meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating.