Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board denied reopening of the claims for service connection for various conditions, including nicotine dependence, coronary artery disease, neuropathy of the legs, loss of vision in the left eye, cataracts, atrial fibrillation, obesity, cerebrovascular accident, diabetes mellitus, porokeratosis, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The Board found that new evidence did not establish a relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension on a direct or presumptive basis due to insufficient development and lack of adequate opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it is less likely than not related to his active military service or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss has been rated at Level I throughout the appeal period.,The claims for service connection of neck condition and HTN are being remanded due to new evidence having been received.,Service connection is being granted for Type II diabetes mellitus (DM2) as secondary to HTN.,HTN is being remanded due to insufficient rationale provided by the examiner.,Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is being remanded due to insufficient rationale provided by the examiner.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss claim is being remanded for further review of the audiometry records in his service treatment records.,Service connection for neck condition is being remanded as there was no consideration of the Veteran's lay report.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea were denied as there was no prior claim or entitlement to these conditions before April 27, 2016.

The Veteran's hypertension and respiratory disorders (COPD and bronchial asthma) are remanded for further examination as the Board finds a duty to assist error in not obtaining VA examinations regarding these conditions. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service, but the availability of presumptive service connection does not preclude direct service connection.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to the Veteran's right knee, including those for increased ratings and service connection. The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding these issues at a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not result in functional impairment sufficient to prevent substantially gainful employment prior to July 7, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for refractive disorder, left ankle condition, bilateral shin splints, weight disorder, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), hypertension, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's full name and all aliases must be used in the search for these records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraines was granted, effective from November 20, 2017. Service connection for OSA and hypertension was also granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and all issues on appeal have been dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for emphysema, COPD, and hypertension as they are not related to the Veteran's active service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and new effective dates were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his left knee scar prior to February 4, 2014, but granted a separate 10 percent rating from June 6, 2016, through May 5, 2017, and extended this rating forward to the present. The Veteran's hypertension was also found not to meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's service connection for hypothyroidism is granted based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The case of hypertension remains pending and requires further review.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. The initial compensable rating claim for hypertension is denied.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, depression, alcohol abuse disorder, residuals of right arm abscess operation, migraine headaches, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.,High cholesterol was found not to be a disability eligible for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral glaucoma suspect, claimed as ocular hypertension and service connection for a left ankle disability are remanded due to the need for further development including obtaining medical opinions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the inextricability of his increased rating claims for service-connected conditions. The VA will consider both issues together as they may affect each other.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus and hypertension, due to herbicide exposure. Additional development is required to determine if the Veteran served in Vietnam and to obtain medical records.

The Veteran's claims of CUE in the September 2009 rating decision that implicitly denied service connection for retroperitoneal fibrosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, arteriosclerosis, bilateral ureteral obstruction, hypertension, hypoperfusion, and pilonidal cyst are being remanded. The RO must address whether these conditions were related to herbicide exposure and re-evaluate the Veteran's claims after the August 2010 expansion of the herbicide diseases listed in 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e).