Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and issues related to the qualifications of the examiner who conducted a previous examination. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell trait was denied due to lack of a current disability. The claims for color blindness, heart condition, and COPD were not established as they are congenital or developmental defects.,Service connection has been granted for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, hypertension, gout of both feet, intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbago, binocular visual field defect, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records. The effective date of any award will be determined based on the evidence received.

The Board has remanded the case for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death, specifically whether his hypertension and service-connected PTSD with Major Depression were contributory causes of death.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and a right knee scar. The claim of service connection for a left knee disability, to include as secondary to service-connected right knee disability, is remanded due to new evidence received since the April 2003 rating decision. The restoration of a 60 percent rating for a right knee disability effective April 1, 2014, and the claim for TDIU are granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension, as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between PTSD and these conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's hypertension is denied as not related to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's multiple disabilities are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology, as the current evidence is insufficient to determine if they are related to her exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, thoracic osteoarthritis, and hypertension need further examination and opinion to determine their etiology and severity.

The Board denied service connection for right and left wrist disorders, but granted service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's other claims are remanded.,Service connection was not established for the following conditions: bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral elbow disorder, hypertension, varicose veins of the lower extremities, and headaches.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and hypertension. The Veteran is seeking service connection for tinnitus, which may be granted based on lay evidence of in-service noise exposure and continuous symptoms since service. For his cardiovascular disability claim, additional development is needed to determine if he was exposed to herbicides during service.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability.,Service connection was also denied for a liver disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, finding that there was no evidence supporting a causal relationship between his hypertension and his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected asbestosis is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the severity of his condition and its relation to pulmonary hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right eye injury, bilateral foot plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, abnormal toenail growth, esophageal disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, chloracne of the arm and neck, heart disease (to include coronary artery disease), and hypertension. The claims are remanded due to incomplete service records and need further review.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and chronic kidney disease, stage III, as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. However, the issue of service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and unverified stressor events. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical evidence from VA facilities, as well as unit records to support his exposure claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hypertension and its relationship to service. The VA will obtain additional records, provide a new opinion on the etiology of his hypertension, and consider the Veteran's statements about exposure during service.

The Veteran's CKD is rated at 60 percent prior to August 17, 2017 and at 80 percent beginning from that date. The decision also grants a rating of 80 percent for CKD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.