Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral spondylolysis of the lumbar spine has been reopened and is granted. However, his claims for hypertension, GERD, depression, osteoarthritis of the left hip, and osteoarthritis of the right hip remain denied.,Service connection was not established for any of the Veteran's conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's long-standing hypertension is related to his military service and established continuity of symptoms since separation.

The Board has denied service connection for hyperlipidemia and remanded the issues of service connection for an eye disability, to include bilateral glaucoma and ocular hypertension as due to service-connected hypertension, and service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as due to service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's disability picture for cystic kidney disease and associated hypertension has increased in severity, and the AOJ should afford him additional examinations to assess their current severity during flare-ups.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by hypertension, which is service-connected and contributed to his death. The claim for service connection for cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including a right lower extremity disorder, headaches, sleep apnea, gout, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension (HTN), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening the claims or establishing service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened, but the evidence does not support a grant of service connection.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and headaches have all been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected conditions were denied. The claim for tinnitus was reopened, but not granted as new and material evidence had not been received. Increased evaluations for CAD, diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, and PTSD were also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, heart disease, hypertension, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction have been reopened. The evidence now shows a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, back disability, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and spinal meningitis. The decision also remanded several issues related to these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for coronary artery disease and residuals of a myocardial infarction, as well as hypertension. The case must be returned to VA for further development including obtaining updated treatment records, verifying the dates and nature of the Veteran’s reserve duty periods, and providing the Veteran with a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's hypertension and tinea cruris have increased in severity since the last VA examination. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain updated medical records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the appeals for service connection for hypertension, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and erectile dysfunction (ED) as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea. The appeal for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and diabetic retinopathy was also granted as secondary to service-connected DM.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,A 10 percent initial rating for hypertension prior to November 18, 2016 was granted. The Veteran's hypertension did not meet the criteria for a higher rating during this period.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypertension from November 18, 2016 through December 15, 2016 was denied as his blood pressure readings were below the threshold for a 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension from December 16, 2016 was also denied.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and depressive disorder. The effective date of the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains May 16, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for HTN, ED, and eczema as secondary to DM or as secondary to exposure to herbicides due to insufficient medical opinions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's neck disability, including cervical degenerative osteoarthritis, is granted as service connected. The upper back disability claim was referred to the AOJ for further consideration. The hypertension and Meniere's syndrome claims are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions were not found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, anemia, enlarged prostate, right ankle condition, and high blood pressure. The issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.,There are no current diagnoses or evidence linking the Veteran's conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for tachycardia, right patellar tendon bursitis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), left lower extremity sciatica, left foot and ankle strain, right foot and ankle strain, and left thigh muscle atrophy are all denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of tachycardia or hypertension. Her other claims for higher ratings and TDIU are remanded.