Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension due to lack of a reasoned analysis in the previous opinion regarding exposure during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for hypertension and for an earlier effective date for TDIU. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation for hypertension, and there was no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to November 20, 2015.

The Veteran was granted service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, COPD, type II diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease.,Service connection was also granted for the cause of the Veteran's death due to acute congestive heart failure, with type II diabetes mellitus as a significant condition contributing to death.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and kidney failure. The claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for initial compensable and greater than 10 percent ratings for hypertension prior to July 14, 2014 and thereafter was denied. The effective date of service connection for hypertension was granted as August 8, 2007.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA hypertension examinations and requests a new examination to determine if the Veteran's hypertension is related to service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his bilateral elbow disability, hypertension, respiratory disorder (including asthma, chronic bronchitis, or COPD), right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, and bilateral hearing loss due to COVID-19 concerns.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension. The skin disability claim is remanded due to inadequate VA examination.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for service-connected hypertension, effective October 7, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hip osteoarthritis due to insufficient evidence in the May 2021 VA examiner's opinion.,Service connection is not granted for a heart disorder (chest pains) or hypertension as there is no direct evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded all of the Veteran's claims due to new VA medical records being associated with his case and not reviewed by the AOJ. The Veteran was given a chance to respond, but did not do so.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and needs further development regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus (DM) with diabetic nephropathy, including causation and aggravation of hypertension.

The Veteran's PTSD and other service-connected conditions have not met the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his overall disability picture, which does not meet the specific eligibility requirements.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, prostate cancer, and a heart condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's heart disorder is rated at 60% from June 23, 2017 to September 9, 2020. The appeal for higher ratings prior to this period and for TDIU prior to September 10, 2020 remains pending.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, as there are issues related to service connection that need clarification.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine is denied. His claim for a compensable disability rating for hypertension from August 20, 2010, is granted and he is assigned a 10% rating. The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right eye disability is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for hypertension. The appeal is also granted in part, as the Veteran's coronary artery disease is now service-connected. However, the issue of whether hypertension is secondary to coronary artery disease remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the service connection claims for various disabilities, including left arm pain, right arm pain, right hip pain, left hip pain, right eye vision loss, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, traumatic brain injury (TBI), let leg condition, right leg pain, anxiety condition, and left eye vision loss.