Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, a heart condition, and hypertension due to unclear nature of conditions and need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable from April 4, 2010 to June 20, 2016. Effective date for TDIU grant is granted.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and service connection for hypertension are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for hypertension was denied. The claim of service connection for GERD was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal. The issue of service connection for sleep apnea is not before the Board at this time.

The appeal for sleep apnea and the PTSD claim are dismissed. The hypertension case is remanded to determine if prior hypertension was service-connected.

The Veteran's service connection claims for skin cancer, residuals of right breast cancer, scar of the right breast, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions began in service or are otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including right leg phlebitis and PVD, lumbar spine disorder, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and hypertension. The issues include determining whether these conditions are secondary to other service-connected disabilities or if they have been aggravated by them.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2, as well as the need for a medical opinion on whether it is related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the left upper extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the right upper extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the left lower extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence of record is against finding that the Veteran has had neuropathy of the right lower extremity at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that a low back disability began during active service, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that a bilateral eye disability began during active service, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that Crohn’s Disease began during active service, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,Entitlement to service connection for a stroke is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for a heart disability with a heart attack is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension began during his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiners' opinions. The Veteran's symptoms are related to his active service, but the exact nature of their relationship is unclear.

The Veteran's back disability and liver condition are being remanded for further development. His TDIU claim from April 29, 2011 to May 20, 2017 is also being remanded.

The claim of service connection for pulmonary hypertension has been granted, while the claim for COPD remains denied. The case is remanded for further evaluation and determination regarding ischemic heart disease and TDIU.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for hypertension and evaluation higher than 10 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome status post rotator cuff tear with AC joint osteoarthritis. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to ongoing development of evidence related to his service-connected disabilities, including exposure to chemicals during service.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the claims for hypertension, TDIU, and Dependents' Education Assistance.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and sleep apnea due to incomplete development. The hypertension claim requires a new opinion addressing herbicide exposure, while the sleep apnea claim needs an addendum opinion considering lay statements of service onset.

The Veteran's representative argued that the Veteran's hypertension has worsened since his last VA examination in February 2017. The claim is being remanded to schedule a new examination and obtain updated treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and low back disability, have rendered him unemployable as of September 5, 2013. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.