Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease, frontal hemorrhagic infarction, and hypertension due to potential issues with the medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

Service connection for bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy, to include as due to herbicide and chemical exposure, is denied.,Service connection for hypertension, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is granted.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), to include as secondary to service-connected restrictive and obstructive lung disease, is denied.,Service connection for a bilateral foot condition, to include as due to herbicide agent exposure, is denied.,Service connection for a bilateral hand condition, to include as secondary to upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and as a result of exposure to herbicides, ionizing radiation, and other toxic chemicals, is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and dismissed the remaining issues of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for an eye condition is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for asthma and hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding residuals of right ankle fracture and hypertension.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for back condition, gout in feet, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity due to new and material evidence. The appeals are granted on these issues.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for pituitary macroadenoma and remanded the issues of service connection for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and hypertension.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not manifested by internal or external deformity of the penis, and was first manifested following a prostatectomy. The claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied.,The effective date assigned for service connection of erectile dysfunction is July 29, 2013, as this is the date of the Veteran's radical prostatectomy. An earlier effective date is not warranted.,Special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) was granted from June 10, 2013 to January 29, 2014 due to the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities and his total disability rating based on individual unemployability. The benefit is now discontinued as of January 29, 2014.,The Veteran's bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for further evaluation.,Eligibility for a grant for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, narcolepsy, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus due to new evidence and development needs.

The Veteran's hypertension claim has been withdrawn. The right ear hearing loss claim remains on appeal and is denied as the evidence does not support a compensable rating.,The chronic lumbosacral strain with left lower rib cage strain, right knee disability prior to February 4, 2016, and splenectomy claims are remanded for further development.,The left knee disability claim remains on appeal and is also remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to outstanding records and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's in-service herbicide exposure and provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that his hypertension had its onset during service or within one year of separation.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hypertension and seizure condition due to inadequate opinions from the VA examiner. Additional VA opinions are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headache disorder is granted. The appeal regarding the hypertension disability evaluation prior to February 9, 2019, and thereafter, an evaluation in excess of 10 percent is withdrawn.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence showing a service-connected disability caused or contributed to his death. The Board also found that encephalitis did not contribute to anoxic encephalopathy.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing VA examinations to address the nature of the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relationship to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of substantial compliance with prior remand orders, and the Veteran's hypertension claim will be reviewed again with a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for hypertension, as well as his claims for temporary total evaluations and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, were all denied by the Board. The decision found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for hypertension or entitlement to a temporary total evaluation based on post-phlebitic syndrome of the bilateral lower extremities. However, it was granted for TDIU as his service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand three of the Veteran's claims due to outstanding private treatment records and an inadequate VA examination for his left knee disability. The Veteran will need to provide information about his Tricare provider and orthopedic surgeon, and a new examination is required to assess the severity of his left knee condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the cause of death and Agent Orange exposure. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of her husband's death, which is believed to be related to his service-connected conditions and potential Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and dermatitis have been granted. The claim for right ear hearing loss is being remanded.,An initial compensable rating for dermatitis has been granted with an effective date of October 14, 2014.