Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70% disability rating effective November 19, 2018. Other claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension and unspecified anxiety disorder have been granted with a rating of 10%, but his lumbar spine disability and deviated nasal septum remain denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD with MDD with anxious distress, finding that there is no nexus between the two conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and the disability is not secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or diabetes mellitus, type II, and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for a skin disorder has been dismissed. The remaining issues of service connection for tonsil disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, lumbar spine disorder, and rectal bleeding are remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension to determine their etiology, specifically whether they are related to in-service herbicide exposure or pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for hypertension is granted.,Service connection for OSA as secondary to DMT2 is granted, and TDIU from October 3, 2016, is also granted.

The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to be related to service, including exposure to herbicides or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Board denied service connection for hypertension and the rating claims for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent since July 2010 and denied for a higher rating. The Veteran’s chronic kidney disease with diabetic nephropathy and hypertension was granted a 60 percent disability rating from September 23, 2009.,Service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and sleep apnea is granted. Service connection for skin disorder and compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, cervical spine disorder, left elbow disorder, skin grafts to 24 percent of the body form burns, and skin disorder of the lower back due to incomplete information regarding his periods of active duty.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for nerve damage to the left arm, hypertension, and kidney disability due to herbicide exposure as they are not related to active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, which in turn led to hypertension. The VA is instructed to obtain an independent medical expert opinion on these issues.

The Board has remanded the claim for hypertension, to include as secondary to PTSD, due to new evidence received and a need for an adequate examination.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's lay statements and medical history are consistent with the onset of hypertension during active service and its continued presence since.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity varicose veins, hypertension, prostate cancer residuals, and hernia. The appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the claims due to deficiencies in the examinations obtained, including discrepancies between recent VA examinations and a submitted private medical assessment. The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) status-post coronary artery bypass surgery and hypertension are being examined again for proper evaluation.

The Veteran's hypertension is service connected as it began during her active duty service and has persisted since then.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for a headache condition and hypertension, as they were not adequately addressed in previous examinations. The Veteran's headaches may be related to an incident during service, but the examiner did not provide sufficient evidence or opinion regarding this claim. For hypertension, there is no direct evidence linking it to exposure to toxic herbicides.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 were denied due to lack of evidence showing that the disabilities are related to VA treatment or negligence.