Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's hypertension was evaluated as 10 percent disabling effective October 3, 2012. The Board found that the disability picture did not more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher rating prior to this date.

The Board has denied service connection for a left knee disorder and granted TDIU, but only for the portion of the appeal period where the Veteran was gainfully employed. The claim for hypertension is remanded.,Service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder was initially granted in February 2016, but an earlier effective date remains pending.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including lower back condition, jaw condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, diabetic neuropathy, and infertility. The AOJ/RO must obtain VA treatment records from 1977 and 1978, as well as VA examination reports from February 1997, November 2007, and January 2008. They are also required to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicide agents in Okinawa.

The Veteran's hypertension and cerebrovascular accident (claimed as stroke) are granted service connection, with the latter being linked to his pre-existing medical conditions including hypertension, diabetes, and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his hypertension, erectile disorder, gastrointestinal disability, COPD, skin disability, and sleep apnea. The VA examiner will be asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, type II diabetes mellitus, or other relevant conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension has been granted an initial rating of 10 percent. Service connection for a skin disorder and PTSD have been granted, but the matter of service connection for a colorectal condition is remanded due to lack of evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and incomplete records. The issues include right knee, lumbar spine, neck, hypertension, and left eye disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle disability and hypertension due to outstanding treatment records and VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudicative action regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, including as due to herbicide exposure, and entitlement to a TDIU.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to have started during service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension, lumbosacral strain, and adjustment disorder with anxious and depressed mood as there was no evidence showing that his conditions warranted a higher rating under VA regulations.

Your appeals for service connection have been dismissed as you withdrew your claims and appeals in a September 2020 letter.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and hypothyroidism due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. Specifically, the June 2018 VA opinion is inadequate because it did not specifically address the threshold shifts in service. The claim for PCB exposure is also remanded as the Veteran has provided sufficient information to trigger VA's duty to assist.

The Board denied service connection for a prostate disorder and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, while remanding the claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a legal error in the previous decision regarding secondary service connection for hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, and psychiatric disorder due to issues with evidence development and need for additional opinions. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is claimed as aggravated by his second period of service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gout, and a cardiovascular disorder due to inadequate opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is not considered relevant to these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition, hypertension, and a disability manifested by elevated cholesterol levels due to incomplete medical records and need for additional examinations.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, loss of right kidney (due to renal cell carcinoma), bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new evidence.,Service connection for these conditions could not be established because the Veteran did not have presumptive exposure to herbicides in Korea.