Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine have been granted. The issue of a higher rating for DDD of the lumbar spine is being remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for hypertension, PTSD, depressive disorder, a cervical spine disability, residuals of face and eye burns, and chloracne is granted. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and active duty. The case is being remanded to consider whether the Veteran is entitled to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder and lower back conditions, and remanded the claims for gout of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as well as hypertension. The Veteran's claims are now pending again with VA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, left knee arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, hiatal hernia, left elbow dislocation, hypertension, hemorrhoids, post laceration of the right thigh with residual scar, and right shoulder surgical scar associated with right shoulder arthritis. As a result, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed heart conditions are proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and diabetes.

The Veteran's initial claim for service-connected hypertension was denied, and a noncompensable rating was assigned effective October 25, 2006.,The Board also denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of October 25, 2006.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability was dismissed as a matter of law. The Board found that the October 2019 rating decision did not constitute a final decision by the agency and thus, the appeal must be dismissed.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating as there are no diastolic blood pressure readings consistently above 100 or more throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and squamous cell carcinoma have been denied as there is no direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The Board found that the Veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to support a claim of secondary service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a lump, right breast and total hysterectomy. The claim for hypertension was remanded.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions is not granted due to lack of evidence linking them to her military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected sleep apnea and remands the case for a new VA examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that his blood pressure readings did not consistently meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to result in diastolic blood pressure of predominantly 110 mm Hg or more or systolic blood pressure of predominantly 200 mm Hg or more.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, but the other issues related to back disability, left leg disability, hypertension, and GERD are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction (secondary to an acquired psychiatric disability), left knee disability, and right hip disability. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation, thus his claim for TDIU was denied.

The Board has remanded four issues for further development and readjudication. These include service connection for a respiratory disability, hypertension (due to herbicide exposure), erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, GERD, and ED due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. Additional development is needed including obtaining relevant medical records and providing the record to a clinician with appropriate experience.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee condition, irregular heartbeat, and hypertension due to potential relationships with the Veteran's right knee disability. The claims will be further evaluated after a VA examination.