Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and DIC due to the need for additional medical records and a medical opinion regarding the cause of death.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, and diabetic retinopathy of the left eye are related to herbicide exposure during service. However, due to insufficient nexus opinions provided by VA examiners, a remand is required for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to changes in her service-connected disabilities and the need for a new examination to assess her employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and prostate cancer. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

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

The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis or etiology of hypertension during service or within one year after discharge. The Veteran's blood pressure readings were not consistently high enough to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of hypertension.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining a medical opinion from a VA pharmacologist and/or gerontologist to determine if the Veteran's medications contributed to his death.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals on all issues related to service connection and increased ratings, as the appellant requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and review due to insufficient opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neck disorder, as well as conflicting conclusions on whether his hypertension is secondary to his neck disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and residuals of a stroke, both potentially related to herbicide exposure. The VA needs to obtain updated medical opinions regarding these conditions.

Your appeal for service connection has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to proceed with your claim as it is no longer relevant.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of hypertension and its relationship to service-connected conditions, including presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's appeal for his son D.A. as a 'helpless child' on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining age 18 is dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for hypertension due to presumed herbicide exposure, as the VA medical opinion provided in response to the April 2018 Board remand is inadequate. The Board finds that additional development is necessary and an addendum opinion addressing whether hypertension is at least as likely as not caused by the appellant's presumed herbicide agent exposure is needed.

The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service, including exposure to herbicides. The claim will be reviewed based on the findings of this examination.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent disabling for the period prior to December 28, 2017, and 100 percent disabling for the period thereafter, for service-connected PTSD due to withdrawal. The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to his Vietnam-era exposure. The Board has remanded issues of service connection for a respiratory disability (including chronic cough and COPD), sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD), and heart disability (including heart disease and atrial fibrillation) due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to incomplete development of evidence. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to address the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for depression and hypertension resulting from a VA colonoscopy in April 2010, finding that the Veteran's conditions pre-existed the procedure and were not aggravated by it.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was received on March 5, 2015. The effective date of service connection for hypertension is set at that time.,The rating from 40 percent to noncompensable for hypertension was reduced due to clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the original determination.