Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, arthritis, and hypertension due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for various conditions. The effective dates are not specified as they were not addressed in this decision.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depressive disorder with anxiety to include bipolar disorder. The claims for reopening of service connection for congestive heart failure and kidney failure have been granted due to new evidence submitted after the March 2015 denial. However, the Board has denied the secondary service connection claims as there is no established in-service event or injury for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and bilateral hand disability, as well as his claim for a TDIU. The reasons included lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an opinion regarding whether hypertension is secondary to a service-connected disability, specifically PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his service-connected PTSD and his current diagnosis of hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is required.

The Veteran's claims for respiratory, sinus, diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, back, left knee, and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to insufficient evidence or lack of clear rationale in the previous VA examination. The claims for hearing loss and tinnitus are also being remanded.

The Veteran's renal condition and hypertension are being remanded for further evaluation due to insufficient etiological opinions regarding their relationship to service, including diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for hypertension and left knee arthritis status post arthroscopy was denied. The claim of service connection for a right shoulder disorder is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his military service and his current condition.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection for various conditions as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease, left knee. The appeals are dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current hypertension is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and if related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but the issues of secondary service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension to this condition have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted at a 70% rating from July 19, 2018 to July 19, 2019. Bilateral hearing loss and other conditions were not granted ratings higher than the current ones. The cases of low back disability, left leg disability, and hypertension are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private medical records and seeking an opinion on whether hypertension is secondary to service-connected CAD.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and headaches for further development. For hypertension, a VA examination is needed to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to service, including a lightning strike in 1957. For headaches, an addendum opinion is required to assess whether they are related to service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress or aggravated by it.

The Board denied service connection for low back condition and hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.