Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of hypertension has been granted. The Board finds new and material evidence that suggests a relationship between herbicide agent exposure and hypertension.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded as the issue remains unresolved.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus were denied. The claim for right ear hearing loss was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus was also denied as there is no evidence of these conditions within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened, service connection for schizophreniform disorder is granted, hypertension and lumbar spine disorder are denied, and a 10% rating is assigned for tinnitus with an effective date of February 5, 2015.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain the Veteran's treatment records from Laredo OPC and Valley Costal VAMC. The case will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's sinusitis, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are all under review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was made worse by his deployment overseas, during part of which time he was not able to take his medication. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been remanded due to the need for further development. The hypertension claim is still under consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension. The claims for right ear hearing loss and sleep apnea (claimed as secondary to hypertension) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in the previous opinion regarding whether hypertension initially manifested as prehypertension during service and if it was caused or aggravated by the Veteran's asthma, particularly his medication for asthma.

The Veteran's service connection claims for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, as well as his mental health conditions in general, have been granted. The other issues related to the left ankle condition, high blood pressure (hypertension), acid reflux, and benign tumor of the neck remain unresolved.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates for his service-connected tinnitus, but has remanded several other issues including service connection for various conditions. The Veteran is also required to provide authorization for VA to obtain certain medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and education benefits under Chapter 35 (DEA) due to their inextricability with other pending claims. The Veteran's attorney asserts that resolution of these claims may impact the analysis regarding his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for a VA examination to determine if hypertension is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, hypertension, sleep apnea, and idiopathic hypersomnia (claimed as narcolepsy) secondary to his service-connected asbestosis. The VA is instructed to obtain all outstanding records and provide addendum opinions addressing the etiology of each condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for further medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder) as secondary to a service-connected disability, specifically degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities. The other conditions remain denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, sleep apnea, and headaches have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's MRSA infection is not service-connected as it did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran's heart disorder to his military service. The condition was first noted after he left active duty and is more likely related to alcohol use.,The Veteran does not have a compensable level of hypertension within one year of separation from service, nor is there any evidence that it is linked to service or exposure to toxins/chemicals/asbestos.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection or increased disability ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of heart disabilities. The appellant is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently considered direct service-connected based on in-service exposures.