Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an increased rating for hypertension associated with his service-connected diabetes. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions, and that the current diagnoses were not linked to the Veteran's time in service.

The Board has dismissed all claims as the Veteran died before a decision could be made.

The Board has restored a 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, effective October 15, 2014. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection and rating for various conditions, including left knee disorder to include degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, left Achilles tendon disorder, psychiatric disorder, hypertension, sleep disorder, headache disorder, and tinnitus. Additional relevant service treatment records have been received.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and GERD as secondary to service-connected asthma. The VA will provide supplemental opinions addressing causation and aggravation.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or secondary to PTSD.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of hypertension, skin cancer, and essential tremors due to a withdrawal request from the Veteran. The appeal for reopening the service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was also dismissed as no new material evidence has been submitted.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has decided to remand the case for a higher rating due to lack of recent VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and diabetes, as well as the current severity of his diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee and hip arthritis, hypertension, and OSA. The Veteran's left and right knees were not shown to have manifested within the first year after discharge from service, and there is no evidence of a chronic disease during service or within one year post-service. For his hips, the preponderance of evidence does not show that he had hip arthritis to a compensable degree within one year of separation. The Board also denied service connection for OSA as it was proximately due to his service-connected depression and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's hip osteoarthritis, right leg pain, heart disability, and hypertension are related to his military service.

The Veteran's heart condition and hypertension are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or due to Agent Orange exposure.

The claim of service connection for hypertension has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine due to inadequate testing in the previous examination. The other issues remain pending.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions due to receipt of additional relevant service medical records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The Veteran's claim is not yet fully adjudicated.

The Board has granted service connection for a pilonidal cyst. The claims for low back condition, hypertension, and acne are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for a left total left hip replacement was denied as new and material evidence had not been received.,The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis (L4-L5) and neuro-foraminal stenosis (L5-S1) was denied as new and material evidence had not been received.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of a link between the condition and military service.,Service connection for hypertension was denied due to lack of a link between the condition and military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension preexisted his service and if it was aggravated by service.

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus as secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The Court has remanded this issue due to a lack of adequate reasoning in the previous decision.