Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's heart disability is granted a 100 percent rating prior to February 3, 2015. The claim for increased ratings of diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy in all four extremities is denied. SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left eye disability, sleep apnea, gout, hypertension, and right knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's right shoulder sprain is rated at 30 percent, hypertension is granted, and the left leg condition does not meet service connection criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, hypertension, and memory loss (undiagnosed illness) have been reopened. The Board has remanded these issues due to the need for further development.,Service connection for hip disabilities, knee disabilities, foot disabilities, and thyroid disability are not granted.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of use of insulin or hospitalizations.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran has been granted service connection for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea. The Board remanded these issues as there are questions about their onset in service.,Service connection was established for hypertension, left knee disability, right knee disability, skin fungus (tinea pedis), and skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma).,The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) is not yet service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and headaches secondary to hypertension, but denied service connection for other conditions due to lack of evidence or causal relationship.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims are being remanded due to a lack of VA examination for hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service and no competent medical opinion linking the condition to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and separate ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, secondary to thoracolumbar scoliosis. The attorney fees are based on the total award of past-due benefits awarded in the April 2019 rating decision, prior to withholding for military retired pay.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, glaucoma, and hypertension are remanded due to the need for VA examinations. The claim for an increased disability rating for residuals of prostate cancer is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, and peripheral neuropathies, prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment from August 12, 2015, to February 6, 2019. As a result, the Board granted a TDIU during this period.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The hypertension claim was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The dyshidrotic eczema of both hands claim was also denied due to insufficient affected area or systemic therapy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, finding no relationship between his current condition and either his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus II, hypertension, gout, and erectile dysfunction have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to in-service injury or disease.,No VA examination was required as there is no indication of an event, injury, or disease occurring in service, nor any chronic disease manifesting within one year after service discharge. The Veteran's STRs show normal clinical evaluations at service separation and the first documented findings for CAD, diabetes, hypertension, and gout occurred decades after service.,The Veteran's lay statements about exposure to herbicides are not credible as they do not provide details of when or where he was exposed, nor are they corroborated by his military personnel records. The Board does not find any evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for hypertension for the entire initial rating period on appeal. The case is remanded to obtain verification of all periods of active duty training (ADT) and inactive duty training (IADT) during the Veteran's Reserve/National Guard service from November 1979 to December 1996.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and hypertensive heart disease (HHD) as secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The decision is based on evidence of in-service noise exposure leading to current bilateral hearing loss, onset of hypertension during service, and causation of HHD from hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, beginning July 20, 2015. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on all reasonable doubt being resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for high blood pressure as the evidence did not support a finding that it was incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board has ordered further development due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the impact of the Veteran's service-connected conditions on his death.