Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding the cause of death, specifically whether in-service hypercholesterolemia caused the Veteran's later-diagnosed aortic dissection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's tinnitus has been assigned a single 10 percent rating since September 2014 and there is no legal basis for an increased rating.

The claims for low back, left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities have been reopened.,Service connection has been granted for PTSD and a depressive disorder.

The claim for service connection of low back disability and hypertension is remanded due to missing VA treatment records. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea, which are secondary to her service-connected PTSD. The case is being remanded for further examination and review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the issues of service connection for hypertension, a left lower extremity disability, a right lower extremity disability, a bilateral eye disability manifested by nerve twitching, and a sleep disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for post-CABG CAD is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for HTN, which may be due to Agent Orange exposure or secondary to his service-connected heart disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the claim of service connection for headaches as they are considered a symptom of service-connected sinusitis. The claims for neck strain with paraspinal muscle spasm and hypertension have been remanded due to need for further medical examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for glaucoma as secondary to diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand is needed because an addendum opinion is required regarding whether the Veteran's glaucoma was caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension, IBS, and hemorrhoids are not service connected as secondary to his PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol abuse.,There is no evidence of these conditions during or immediately following the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for hypertension and a bilateral foot condition, as well as issues related to an increased rating for PTSD and an effective date prior to June 8, 2017.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent effective April 5, 2013.,The Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension on this date.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen the claim for service connection for a chest infection with breathing problems was dismissed. The claims for service connection for left foot pain, left knee pain, high blood pressure, and various lower extremity disabilities were granted. The remaining issues of service connection for low back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected due to lack of a link between his military service and his current condition, nor can it be attributed to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral hearing loss, bilateral pes planus, diverticulitis, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), tendonitis, and urticaria as there was no current disability present.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sinus condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the claimed condition.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus, type II are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.,Service connection for obesity was previously denied in a January 2019 rating decision. The Board notes that on January 6, 2017, the General Counsel issued a precedential opinion which held that obesity could be an 'intermediate step' between a service-connected disability and a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with his claims for sleep apnea.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for hypertension, earlier effective date for voiding and bowel dysfunction, and increased rating for diabetes mellitus (DM II) and bowel dysfunction as she withdrew her appeal in February 2019.