Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his military service and his current condition. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish that hypertension started during service or within one year of discharge.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to inadequate examination and further development is required.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy. The VA is instructed to obtain Social Security Administration records and provide an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s hypertension and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in a previous VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his diagnosed condition.

The Board denied an increased rating for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's diastolic blood pressure was not predominantly 100 or more during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development and an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and service, specifically exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and a compensable rating for hypertension were both denied by the Board.

The Veteran's hypertension with chronic kidney disease and voiding dysfunction is rated at 60 percent prior to August 1, 2013, and 80 percent since. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under these diagnostic codes.,For his CVA, the Veteran has been assigned ratings of 40 percent for voiding dysfunction, 10 percent each for bilateral cranial nerve X speech impediment and bilateral cranial nerve IX speech impediment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 17, 2006, for the award of a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis. The evidence did not support TDIU prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and eye disorder due to incomplete development, including not considering updated evidence from the National Academy of Sciences regarding hypertension. The Veteran's service connection claim is also being reviewed as a result of a prior grant of diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder due to insufficient reasoning in the March 2019 VA examination and failure to address medical literature submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and headaches due to new evidence showing a link between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder.,Service connection is granted for obstructive sleep apnea as it is proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran’s service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board denied service connection for left eye dry eyes, ocular hypertension, and cataracts, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service, specifically his presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Veteran also claims that his hypertension is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and CAD.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including kidney disorder, heart disorders, peripheral vascular diseases of various extremities, hypertension, and back disability, were not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension had its initial onset in service and is related to his military service, granting service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's left hand disability, hypertension, and psychiatric disability are not service-connected.,Service connection for a back disability is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for hypertension as it requires a VA examination to determine if the condition is related to service or secondary to other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, low back, right hip, left hip, left knee, and left shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's military occupational specialty was infantryman, and he reported experiencing pain in his knees during a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed. The claims for service connection for right knee disability, high cholesterol, and hypertension were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims. Service connection for a psychiatric disability (PTSD), left hip disability, and depression has been granted.