Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD and/or bilateral knee conditions, was denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee condition and hypertension are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder. The remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and renal insufficiency due to conflicting medical evidence. The Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for his service-connected hypertension, but his kidney condition requires further examination.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, may not be presumed to have been caused by active service, and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred during or as a result of service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year after service separation. The Board found the objective medical records more probative than the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service onset or continuity of high blood pressure.

The Veteran's hypertension and left ear hearing loss have been evaluated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the appeal period.,Right ear hearing loss has not been service-connected.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, vision loss, hypertension, kidney/renal disorder, heart disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD). However, these claims are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and other development that may be needed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension due to a lack of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) addressing the newly associated evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 25, 2018 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus has been denied.,The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and service connection for hypertension have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and pseudofolliculitis barbae have been reopened, and the claim for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae has been granted. The ratings for voiding dysfunction and painful scar status post lumbar fusion have been restored, as well as the ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and prostate condition is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his conditions and military service, particularly given his exposure history.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at a 10 percent disability rating, as the evidence shows diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more with continuous need for medication to control hypertension.

The Board has denied a higher rating for the Veteran's service-connected hypertension, finding that his blood pressure readings have never met the criteria for a disability rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type II are being remanded for further development to determine if they are related to his military service.,The Board is requesting additional information from the Veteran regarding his in-service exposure to herbicide agents or defoliants. They are also seeking medical records from non-VA providers where he was treated for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, low back disorder, and migraine headaches were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or that any such conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, PTSD, and diabetes mellitus have been granted. The rating assigned has not yet been determined.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly those related to diabetes and stroke, necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted SMC based on this need.