Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depressive disorder), sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and high blood pressure. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the other issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and arteriosclerotic heart disease (claimed as ischemic heart disease), finding that there was no evidence of a direct relationship to his active duty service or any presumptive conditions.,Specifically, the Board determined that hypertension did not manifest within one year of discharge and was not related to diabetes mellitus. For arteriosclerotic heart disease, the Board found insufficient evidence linking it to herbicide exposure in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to herbicide agent exposure because there is insufficient evidence to determine if he served in the Republic of Vietnam or its territorial waters.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and esophageal conditions due to new evidence submitted. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to have had its onset during service or within one year of separation, and is therefore denied.,There is no evidence that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder (including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and dysthymic disorder) had its onset in service. The claim for this condition is also denied.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction was not shown to have had its onset during service or be related to a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to outstanding SSA records and updated VA/identified private treatment records.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension with congestive heart failure due to diastolic dysfunction is granted a 10 percent rating from July 30, 2007. The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 10 percent rating prior to March 28, 2018 and denied for higher ratings.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim for service connection of his kidney disability is granted. The claims for service connection of hypertension and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded due to new evidence provided by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for hypertension due to exposure to Agent Orange during service. The Veteran's personnel records indicate he served in the Republic of Vietnam, and his military records show he was exposed to environmental hazards there. However, the RO needs to obtain VA treatment records from 1973 at Martinez VA Medical Center and conduct a medical examination to determine if hypertension is related to active duty or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, as they do not involve anatomical loss of use of both hands, burn injuries, inhalational injuries, blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less, or specific combinations of impairments.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and stomach ulcers have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or causation.,Further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any left wrist disorder, migraine headaches, and left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected diabetes mellitus type II is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether service-connected disability substantially contributed to the Veteran's death from an automobile accident. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to insufficient evidence and a need to obtain private treatment records. The appellant must provide names and addresses of healthcare providers who treated the Veteran for hypertension or related disabilities post-service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate for adjudicatory purposes and a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion from the September 2011 VA examiner or another appropriate examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims for neck, bilateral wrist, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, bilateral ankle, bilateral foot, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral elbow disabilities due to insufficient evidence.,No new or material evidence was provided to reopen any of these service connection claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a left eye condition due to sarcoidosis, which was diagnosed within one year of the Veteran's discharge from active duty. Service connection is denied for hypertension and right knee and left knee conditions.