Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability, hypertension (secondary to PTSD), GERD (secondary to PTSD and duodenal ulcer), and OSA (secondary to PTSD and duodenal ulcer) due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lung/respiratory condition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, hypothyroidism, and morbid obesity due to potential exposure to environmental hazards in Atsugi Japan. The VA is instructed to obtain medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no final decision could be made on the merits of his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current back disability began in or was otherwise caused by his fall from scaffolding during active-duty training in Wyoming. Service connection will be decided based on the evidence and findings of this examination.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and hypertension due to insufficient opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's representative submitted additional medical literature, and further development is needed.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for right shoulder disability, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, GERD, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam service.,Service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected as there was no diagnosis during service and it did not manifest within one year of discharge. The Board finds that the Veteran's current right shoulder strain with mild AC degeneration is related to his military service.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, left knee arthritis, and TDIU claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a right knee total knee replacement and hearing loss, did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to August 3, 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and low back condition secondary to PTSD due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's medical records show multiple borderline high blood pressure readings, which need to be considered in determining whether they constitute manifestations of a hypertension disability. Additionally, new opinions are needed regarding causation and aggravation of these conditions by PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and requests for additional records. The Veteran's hypertension is being reviewed in light of presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran did not have a disease or injury during his qualifying period of active duty service that caused his current condition. The Board also found no evidence of continued problems with hypertension after his service ended.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a direct or presumptive relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding no probative medical evidence that it was incurred in service or is secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and tremors and spasms, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability or evidence of in-service injury, event, or disease. The Board also found that the Veteran's symptoms were more likely related to his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to service-connected PTSD, but denied service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, bilateral shoulder disability, hypertension (secondary to service-connected schizophrenia), heart disability, and residuals of a head injury due to incomplete examinations and lack of medical opinions. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations and obtain VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted effective February 6, 2011. The Board found that the combined severity of his service-connected disabilities has precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as of this date.

The Veteran's hypertension and left-hand disability are being remanded for further development as the provided medical opinions were not responsive to the Board's directives.

The Board has determined that the appellant's hypertension is at least as likely as not related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.