Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate VA examination reports and failure to provide supporting rationale for conclusions.

The Board denied service connection for chronic cough and breathing condition, skin disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hypertension. The Veteran's symptoms were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hypertension and vitiligo for further evaluation due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), and eye disability including vision loss. The effective date issue is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The hypertension claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and a need for further development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for shrapnel scars to the left knee and foot is dismissed.,Service connection was denied for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II or PTSD.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions are inadequate and requires additional examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected conditions, including hypertension, esophagitis, medications for esophagitis, and nephrolithiasis.

The Veteran's hypertension and bilateral eye disability are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship to service. The left eye cataract rating is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for enlarged prostate is reopened, but the issue of entitlement to service connection remains denied.,Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is denied as there is no evidence that it is related to active service or exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder disorder, low back disorder, right knee disorder, and chronic sinusitis due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive reaction does not render him so nearly helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, nor did it cause him to be housebound. Therefore, SMC based on need for aid and attendance or due to being housebound is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but denied for peripheral artery disease in the right lower extremity, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy in the right upper and left upper extremities, kidney disorder (chronic kidney disease), and bilateral cataracts.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the cause and nature of the Veteran's hypertension, which may be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has decided that the claims for sarcoidosis, heart disability, and hypertension need more information from Social Security Administration (SSA) records before a decision can be made.

The Board dismissed the appeal for hypertension. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, loss of taste, and heart disability was reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection for PTSD is granted, but no service connection is found for loss of taste or heart disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertension, and bilateral knee disability are granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative changes. He is also awarded a higher initial rating for his lumbar spine degenerative changes.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 due to the lack of a statement of the case (SOC) being issued.

The Veteran's PTSD, rated at 100% since October 18, 2012, and other service-connected disabilities combined to meet the criteria for a TDIU from May 1, 2015. Effective October 27, 2012, SMC at the housebound rate was granted.