Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issues of increased rating for lichen planus and TDIU. The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to be related to his military service, and there is no evidence that he had a compensable degree of disability within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied in July 2011, but the claim for left ear hearing loss was granted. The hypertension claim is currently pending due to a remand.,Service connection has been established for left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder and hypertension, as well as an initial rating higher than 20 percent for the service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2. The Veteran was not granted any of these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board finds new and material evidence has been submitted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, heart condition, diabetes mellitus, sinus disability, left leg disability, and eye disability are remanded due to outstanding records.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for intervertebral disc disease was denied. Service connection claims for eye condition, hypertension, rhinitis, and allergic dermatitis were also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further medical evaluation and opinion regarding the service connection of hypertension, as well as its relationship to other conditions like diabetes mellitus, PTSD, and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted with a 10% rating from August 24, 2011. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral knee disorders due to potential new evidence received since the last final decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current right shoulder disability and thus, the appeal is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypertension was denied as his blood pressure readings did not meet the criteria for a 20% or higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. However, the claim for secondary service connection for hypertension is remanded due to lack of recent medical records and need for an opinion regarding whether hypertension is related to diabetes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cardiovascular disorder (to include cardiomyopathy), hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety) due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset or relationship to his military service. The claim for residuals of a back injury is also being remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for testicular cancer is also granted based on presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune. The remaining claims are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, right and left lower extremity diabetic sciatic neuropathy, hypertension, right ankle degenerative disease, and left foot hammertoes, are sufficient to render him unemployable. The Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicides and a need for further medical evaluation of his psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated as compensable, and the Board finds no current disability for other claimed conditions.,The Veteran does not have a service-connected gall bladder removal or its residuals. The VA examiner found no symptoms associated with his gall bladder removal.,There is no evidence of a current right shoulder disability during the appeal period.,There is no evidence of a current left shoulder disability during the appeal period.,There is no evidence of a current left ankle disability during the appeal period.,The Veteran does not have a service-connected right knee disability during the appeal period.,The Veteran does not have a service-connected left knee disability during the appeal period.,There is no evidence of a current lumbar spine disability during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for tinnitus, diabetes as secondary to herbicide exposure, increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to November 29, 2016. The Veteran's claims are currently under review.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and hypertension. The evidence shows that her sleep apnea is related to her PTSD, which in turn is linked to her hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's reported stressor involving a fellow service member. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for cause of death and nonservice-connected death pension due to incomplete records and potential eligibility issues. The appellant is required to provide additional medical records, complete a form for unreimbursed medical expenses, and potentially appoint a representative.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart disorder, shoulder disorder, and skin disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The Veteran will need further examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.