Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand several claims for further development due to incomplete service treatment records and untranslated Spanish documents. The Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, left ankle, bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depressive disorders), right knee meniscal tear, and hypertension claims are being returned for additional examination and review.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, dyslipidemia, low back disorder, DJD of the hips, knees, ankles, and feet, skeletal body pain, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), diabetic neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and hypertension were all denied as they are not related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the issue regarding an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type II. The issues of initial compensable ratings for hypertension and depressive disorder not otherwise specified are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, chest scar from coronary artery bypass graft, diabetes mellitus, type II, end-stage renal failure, hypertension, and neuropathy have all been denied.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran’s chest scar as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for heart disability, hypertension, and arrhythmia due to unclear evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to an herbicide agent in Vietnam is conceded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and in-service herbicide exposure or service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disabilities, prostate disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, heart condition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteopenia, cervical spine disability, neurological impairment of the upper extremities, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, and foot disabilities are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is being remanded as his prostatitis may be related to his current prostate disability. Additional development is needed regarding whether he has any residual disability from the prostatitis shown in service.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, chronic gastritis with GERD, and hemorrhoids are being remanded as his most recent examinations in August 2017 were inadequate. Additional development is needed to determine the current functional impairment resulting from these disabilities.,

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD, hypertension, and bilateral pes planus has been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran's hypertension and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder) are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's major depression was granted service connection. The other conditions were denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and high blood pressure, hypertension have been denied as new and material evidence has not been submitted.,Claims for increased ratings for unspecified anxiety disorder, GERD with hiatal hernia, right knee strain with right leg exertional compartment syndrome, left knee strain with left leg exertional compartment syndrome, thoracic spondylosis with lumbar sprain, instability associated with right knee strain, and instability associated with left knee strain have all been denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection and a 60% disability rating for nephropathy (claimed as kidney disease) is granted. The effective date for the grant of service connection for nephropathy is set at June 7, 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, bilateral upper and lower extremity neurological disorders, diabetes, micro-albuminuria, and heart disorder other than hypertension need further examination and opinion to determine their etiology. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure/hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were not shown to be related to service or due to exposure to herbicides. The Board denied these claims as the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to service.,The Veteran's deviated nasal septum was evaluated under Diagnostic Code 6502, but no compensable rating could be assigned because there was no evidence of at least 50 percent obstruction in his nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and transient ischemic attacks due to service connection issues, including a need for updated treatment records and VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was reopened and granted, with the decision to grant service connection for left knee injury, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension has been granted an initial rating of 10 percent, effective from the date of claim. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides, and the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that his current conditions are related to service or secondary to any other condition.