Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension is granted. The claim for hearing loss is remanded and will be decided on the merits.

The Veteran's hypertension has resulted in a definite decrease in kidney function from July 18, 2016 to August 21, 2017. A rating of 60 percent for chronic renal disease with hypertension is granted during this period.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The matter of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to lack of an etiological opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the case.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the Veteran's hypertension and hypertensive heart disease, requiring further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus was denied due to lack of new and material evidence, resulting in a denial.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension as secondary to herbicide exposure, finding no competent evidence linking the Veteran's current disability to his herbicide exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and a skin disability due to outstanding medical questions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently considered 'direct' based on their merits rather than through a presumption.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether service-connected disabilities contributed to or caused the Veteran's death. The appellant is seeking service connection for the cause of her husband's death, which was attributed to myocardial infarction with COPD and hypertension contributing.

The Veteran's hypertension and PTSD were denied as the evidence did not show that they warranted ratings in excess of 10 percent or 50 percent, respectively.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted a 10% rating, effective March 1, 2010. The appeal for increased ratings for diabetes and left ear hearing loss was withdrawn.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was reopened and granted. The claims for sleep apnea and hypertension are remanded due to insufficient evidence of herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and hypertension contributed to his death. The appellant needs to provide additional information and/or evidence, particularly from private doctors.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, and his TDIU application were both denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure, while his hypertension claim is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's thoracic spine disorder, cervicalgia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, rhinitis, sleep apnea, hypertension, esophageal reflux, and anemia are all found to be related to service. The Veteran is also seeking increased ratings for his bilateral knees and hearing loss, which require further examination and evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions, particularly related to exposure in Vietnam. The claims are being returned for further development and examination.

The Veteran's hypertension rating is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the retrieval of relevant private treatment records.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including obtaining missing in-service medical records from Fort Jackson. The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions are pending and will be reconsidered after the additional evidence is obtained.