Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension due to discrepancies in the service treatment records and outstanding medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further action due to potential unverified periods of service in the National Guard.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since March 7, 2012. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran’s PTSD caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas of his life.

The Veteran's claim for chloracne, high cholesterol, headache disability, hypertension, and blood clots is denied as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions.,The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service has not been established.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension as it did not have its onset during service or within a year of separation, and there is no evidence of chronicity since then. The Veteran's assertions regarding the onset were not credible.

Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease, presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection is also granted for hypertension, but the evidence is insufficient at this time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, vertigo, hypogonadism with metabolic syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hypercholesterolemia due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset or aggravation during active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for DJD of the left and right knees, DJD of the lumbar spine, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression and insomnia) due to inadequate examination reports and lack of nexus opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions, and now requires additional development including obtaining updated VA records and a new examination for an opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, or related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and nerve impairment in his bilateral upper extremities (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome), and granted a TDIU rating. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension and remanded other issues related to service connection. The Veteran's claims are also remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and hypertension are remanded for further examination and opinion as the current evidence is insufficient to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction are granted as service connected, with hypertension being linked to herbicide exposure in Vietnam and erectile dysfunction being secondary to the hypertension.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if the Veteran's conditions are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of various conditions due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of supporting evidence. The issues include back disorder, neck disorder, pituitary adenoma (claimed as brain tumor), TBI, pes planus, hypertension, and headaches.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to insufficient evidence in his claims file, particularly regarding his Reserve service records and treatment records. The Veteran is also required to provide private medical records related to his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection on a presumptive basis as it manifested within the one-year presumptive period following her separation from active service. The other issues were remanded for further action.

The Board has identified multiple issues for remand due to the addition of new VA medical records not previously considered in the decision.