Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ulcers are granted. The cases of hypertension and ulcers are remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU. The cases for increased disability ratings for right elbow, left elbow, left knee, and right knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension due to potential links to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or herbicide exposure. The claims are being reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, except for a grant of a disability rating of 70 percent for depressive disorder. The other conditions and disabilities were not found to be related to service or warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no direct or secondary service connection based on the lack of a medical nexus between his hypertension and either his in-service exposure to any specific hazard or his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hypertension, heart condition, and left upper extremity neuropathy for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis, effective November 13, 2006, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and conducting VA examinations to assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and hypothyroidism due to insufficient medical opinions addressing whether these conditions were clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension were denied. The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure, and the medical opinions did not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension due to new and material evidence. The issue of secondary service connection for hypertension due to diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was granted as a disability during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a condition of the hands and fingers, sleep apnea, and hypertension due to additional development being required. The Veteran's representative provided new evidence in September 2020.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification of certain medical opinions, particularly regarding the Veteran's left elbow disability and bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is granted for a back disability but denied for hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims for urinary disability, skin disability, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and generalized joint pain (bilateral elbow, wrist, and ankle pain) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service or service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's reports of symptoms are being considered.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension were granted. However, the claim for a higher rating for his thoracic spine disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder rotator cuff injuries and cervical spine strain are remanded. The Veteran's hypertension claim is also remanded due to the National Academy of Sciences' categorization of hypertension as 'limited or suggestive evidence of an association' with herbicide exposure. His erectile dysfunction claim is also remanded, including whether it is related to service-connected PTSD, hypertension, and/or cervical spine strain.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to its being intertwined with the issues of service connection.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction are granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. However, TDIU is denied prior to September 9, 2010.