Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for high blood pressure has been remanded due to incomplete STRs and the need for private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition, including cellulitis, boils and blisters, has been remanded due to inaccurate factual premises in the July 2015 VA examination and the need for an opinion on whether his skin condition is secondary to diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, has been remanded due to the July 2015 examiner's failure to consider the Veteran's contentions regarding combat-related nightmares and delayed treatment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Veteran withdrew all pending issues, including service connection for asthma, hypertension, and the effective date of depression.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertrophied tonsils (now removed), and hypertension. The issues on appeal will be remanded for these purposes.

The petition to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, a vascular disorder, and a chronic organic condition due to high cholesterol is denied.,The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder is granted. The Veteran's cognitive disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are not found to be related to his service-connected disabilities.,The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for psoriatic arthritis is denied. The preponderance of evidence does not support a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection and increased ratings are inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's claims for left and right knee disabilities. Therefore, these matters have been REMANDED.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left hand and/or right hand disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hypertension and whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and associated complications such as diabetic nephropathy, anxiety disorder, right Charcot foot, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, skin ulcer, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, rendered him unable to secure or retain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted TDIU based on these service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the claims for sleep apnea and TDIU are inextricably intertwined, so both need to be remanded. The Veteran's sleep apnea claim will require a medical opinion on its etiology, including whether it is related to service-connected tinnitus or hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension due to additional development being needed, including obtaining medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to obesity caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, kidney cancer, sleep apnea, hypertension, and adrenal gland condition. The appeals were based on direct evidence and not on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the claims for pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy secondary to service-connected bronchitis due to insufficient medical opinions addressing all relevant evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes was not service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of discharge and is not otherwise related to his military service.,A 20% evaluation for lumbar strain from March 28, 2012 until December 7, 2016 was granted. The Veteran has now been assigned a 20% rating throughout the pendency of this disability being service connected.,The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his lumbar strain after December 7, 2016 was denied.,A 10% initial evaluation for hypertension was granted. The Veteran takes medication for hypertension and has not had diastolic pressure predominantly at or above 110 or systolic pressure predominantly at or above 200.

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's hypertension, which began in service and contributed to his death, is granted for service connection. The Appellant is denied death pension benefits due to her net worth exceeding the limit. Accrued benefits are also denied as no pending claims existed at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, service connection, and rating have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hypertension, and Fibroid tumors/thyroid tumors as there was no evidence of these conditions during or related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that the current evidence is insufficient to decide the claims for service connection for hypertension, gastro-intestinal bleeding and residuals from an endosonography, liver condition, and kidney condition. Therefore, VA medical examinations are required.