Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board dismissed all service connection issues due to the Veteran's death, as they have no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, headaches, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD), and lip cancer. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and obesity, which was caused by the PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for further evaluation due to presumed herbicide exposure or service-connected PTSD. The Board notes a positive association between hypertension and herbicide agents but requires an additional opinion on causation.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted based on his service-connected disabilities rendering him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70% rating effective May 19, 2015. The Veteran's hypertension remains at noncompensable.

The claim to reopen the seborrhea claim has been denied as new and material evidence was not received sufficient to reopen the claim.,The claim for sleep apnea has been denied as there is no current disability for VA purposes.,The claim for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The claims for bronchitis and hypertension have been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA opinion regarding his hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the loss or loss of use of a hand or foot, permanent vision impairment of both eyes, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip. Therefore, he is not eligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Board has remanded the cases for an addendum opinion regarding the likely etiology of the hypertension and right foot amputation residual conditions due to presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and need for further medical examination. The issues include vision/eye disability, prostate cancer, hypertension, and skin cancer, all potentially related to exposure to chemicals and herbicide agents during service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension due to new and material evidence. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sinus condition, and headaches are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral foot disability, a bilateral eye disorder, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and gastrointestinal disorders. The Veteran's service records indicate possible exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service, and whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted service connection, while left ear hearing loss and hypertension are denied. The initial ratings for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and radiculopathy are also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to PTSD, is granted. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's cause of death and his heart condition are related to service, but needs further development including obtaining medical opinions and verifying service records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, hypertension, residuals of stroke (secondary to PTSD), and headaches. Additional records from SSA are needed, as well as new VA examinations for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD.

The Veteran's hypertension and left knee disability, including a meniscal tear, are not service-connected. The initial rating for the left knee disability is denied as it does not meet the criteria for an increased rating. A separate 20 percent rating for the left knee meniscal tear is granted.

The claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss, hypertension, and left knee disability has been granted. The TDIU claim is being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for high cholesterol, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability, a neurocognitive disorder (Lewy body disease), and sleep apnea. The issues of increased ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, residual gunshot wound of neck and right shoulder, scars, painful scar, posterior neck, post shrapnel wound, synechecia left inferior nasal turbinate to septum with sinusitis, post endoscopy with septoplasty, and service connection for high cholesterol were also denied.

The Board has denied reopening of the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of various conditions, including left elbow, middle finger, knee, hearing loss, tinnitus, pulmonary disability, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.