Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, left and right wrist disabilities, and headaches due to potential service connection based on exposure to herbicides during service. The AOJ is required to confirm whether the USS Oriskany was within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and hypertension, is granted service connection. Service connection for hypertension is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for Type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, erectile dysfunction, and a lung disability (claimed as lung disease). Hypertension was granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart condition, and multiple lipomas on whole body due to a stay regarding naval service and presumed herbicide exposure. Further development is required as it is unclear whether the USS Annapolis served within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the appeal period, leading to a TDIU being granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes, hypertension, memory loss, and peripheral neuropathy were denied as there was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents or other toxins during her initial training at Fort McClellan.,Service connection could not be established due to lack of chronicity in service and failure to meet the one-year presumptive period for diseases associated with herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for persistent depressive disorder was denied. The effective date of the 70 percent rating for persistent depressive disorder was set at September 12, 2016. The previously denied claims for service connection were reopened.

The Veteran's urinary incontinence is granted as secondary to her service-connected low back strain. High cholesterol, bilateral knee disorders, OSA, and hypertension are denied as not related to service or service-connected conditions. The claim for uterine fibroid with menorrhagia is remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected as it did not develop during active duty and there is no evidence of a direct link to his service-connected conditions. The Veteran's sideroblastic anemia and posttraumatic stress disorder are also not found to be secondary to the Veteran's hypertension.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension, finding no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, both secondary to PTSD. The other claims have been denied as new and material evidence was not provided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for Gulf War Syndrome, Erectile Dysfunction, and other conditions due to insufficient medical opinions in the original examination reports. The Veteran will need to undergo further VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder condition is dismissed.,Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is granted. The Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to in-service exposure to Agent Orange. Additional development is needed to verify the Veteran’s exposure to toxic chemicals at Chanute Air Force Base.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current left knee condition, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed all claims for service connection, including those for pulmonary disorder, neurological disorder, sinus disorder, kidney disorder, right knee disorder, numbness of the left side of the face, heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding these issues during a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied. The claims for increased ratings of diabetes mellitus type II, right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability were all granted. However, the effective date for SMC based on housebound was not granted.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic renal failure are all granted service connection. The claims for discoid lupus and degenerative joint disease with levoconvex scoliosis of the lumbar spine have been reopened due to new evidence. These issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, GERD, and a gastrointestinal disorder other than GERD have all been denied due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and residuals of a mandible fracture, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.