Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Veteran was granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, which is presumed to have been caused by noise exposure during active duty.,Service connection for arterial hypertension was denied as the evidence did not show a link between the condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and hypertension, finding that the Veteran's conditions began during his active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and examination to address his service-connected tinnitus, sleep disorder (insomnia), bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and heart disease.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and examination to address service connection claims for sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, IBS, bilateral lower extremity sciatica, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for colitis, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and residuals of a stroke due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure during active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his bilateral foot disabilities, hypertension, and allergic rhinitis due to new evidence submitted after the most recent Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, skin disorder, and hyperthyroidism. The Veteran's claims for sore throat disability were also denied.,There is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation that would support the Veteran’s claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 50 percent rating, effective from August 11, 2010. The claims for microcytic anemia and lung nodules are remanded. Other service connection claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and congestive heart failure are all granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is related to his military service, while his hypertension is secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. However, there was insufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the Veteran's congestive heart failure and his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hypertension and osteoporosis. The RO is instructed to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) as required by law.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tension headaches is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, CAD and OSA are remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ischemic heart disease/coronary artery disease and hypertension, including as due to herbicide exposure. Additional development is needed, particularly in obtaining medical records from Temple Medical Center and providing additional opinions regarding service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records from the Veteran's Army Reserve service and any outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if he has hypertension that is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction. However, the Veteran's conditions are currently being remanded as no VA examiner has provided a clear opinion on whether they are aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding various disability ratings and service connection claims due to his withdrawal of these issues during a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is reopened, but the appeal remains pending as further development is needed to determine if his hypertension is related to herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension, kidney disability, and erectile dysfunction. The opinions are needed to address whether these conditions are secondary to service-connected disabilities or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee disability, headaches, cardiac disease, and memory loss due to insufficient information in the record.,The Veteran's DM is being remanded as there was no consideration of his lifestyle and diet during service or exposure to environmental hazards while serving in Southwest Asia.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is being remanded because the examiner did not consider the February 1993 report indicating degenerative joint disease, nor the Veteran’s history of knee pain since service.,The Veteran's headaches are being remanded due to insufficient consideration of his reported history and March 2015 VA treatment record.,The Veteran's CAD is being remanded as there was no consideration of his lifestyle and diet during service or exposure to environmental hazards while serving in the Persian Gulf War.,The Veteran's memory loss is being remanded due to insufficient consideration of his other diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran has withdrawn appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, except for the TDIU claim which is remanded.