Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for various conditions, effective date determinations, and increased ratings. The Veteran's attorney raised concerns about the qualifications of some VA examiners.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be the primary cause of his obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, kidney disease, joint problems/gout, and skin disorder. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities, including left ankle disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, hypertension, right wrist disability, left-hand disability, stress fracture of the mid right anterior tibia with traumatic arthritis, right proximal dorsal foot, left mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty, hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the appeal regarding past-due benefits and increased ratings for hypertension.

The Veteran's cause of death is denied as there was no service-connected disability that caused or contributed to his death, and exposure to herbicide agents during military service cannot be presumed.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension due to exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prediabetes, allergic rhinitis, helicobacter pylori, hypertension, osteoarthritis, a back disability (secondary to bilateral foot disability), and right and left knee disabilities. The effective dates were not addressed as they are not relevant to the disposition.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not shown to be related to service or any presumptive conditions. The Veteran's hypertension was diagnosed over 40 years after his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for joint paint disorder, hypertension, and skin disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations. The VA is required to obtain addendum opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and residuals of a stroke, as well as the TDIU claim due to inextricably intertwined issues. The Veteran's hypertension is being examined again to determine if it is related to herbicide exposure, while his stroke residuals are also being evaluated.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board has granted a higher rating of 70 percent for the entire appeal period.,The Veteran’s hypertension claim remains remanded due to updated research on herbicide exposure. The GERD secondary to PTSD claim also requires additional development.

The Veteran's hypertension and ED are not rated higher than non-compensable.,Tension headaches are rated at 30 percent, but the Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability (arrhythmia and hypertension) and right shoulder disability, finding no evidence of a current condition related to service. Service connection was granted for left shoulder radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine disability.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hypertension and stroke residuals. The TDIU claim is also being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, including as due to chemical exposure from weapons stockpiles and ammunition depots, or asbestos exposure aboard a U.S. Naval vessel, finding no evidence of in-service incurrence or relationship to active duty service.

The Board dismissed the nonservice-connected pension benefits appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and readjudicating the service connection claims. The appeals are not about service connection via a presumption like PACT Act/Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune.

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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no direct or presumptive evidence of a chronic disability during service and that the condition did not manifest within one year post-service. The Board also found insufficient medical evidence to support a secondary service connection based on PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The hypertension claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated information from the Veteran regarding his employment history and functional impact of his hip and back disabilities. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as the VA examination results are needed to assess the functional impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.