Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board has decided that the Veteran's heart disability may be related to his service-connected lung condition, but more evidence is needed for a definitive determination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an earlier effective date for chronic kidney disease with hypertension have been dismissed due to the accredited representative withdrawing the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether ischemic heart disease was a contributing cause of death. The Veteran's cause of death is listed as congestive heart failure, with pulmonary embolus and hypertension also noted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's hypertension, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and TDIU due to a lack of recent VA examination, which is necessary to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that her combined rating of 70% or more makes it at least as likely as not that she is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied, while his claims for vitamin B-12 deficiency and initial rating for diabetes were granted. The effective date for the initial rating of 10% for diabetes is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service, including as due to herbicide agent exposure. The examiner must also consider whether PTSD may have aggravated or caused the hypertension.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for hypertension have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension, particularly its relation to service-connected diabetes mellitus and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information provided by the Veteran regarding his unemployability, and now requests that he submits a VA Form 21-8940. The TDIU claim will be referred for consideration of whether an extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disability, hypertension, and bruxism due to incomplete records from the Veteran's period of active duty with the Alabama National Guard (ANG).

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need to determine if he was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam, which could potentially establish presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and shrapnel wound scarring of the lumbar spine are being remanded due to incomplete or insufficient medical opinions. The VA will obtain additional examinations and opinions as needed.

The Veteran's death by suicide is being remanded for further review due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of his death, including consideration of service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension was found to have been present prior to his separation from active duty, warranting an effective date of August 12, 1969 for a 10% rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, finding no evidence of these conditions in service or within the presumptive period. The Veteran's assertions regarding noise exposure and Agent Orange exposure were not supported by medical evidence.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reconsider the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, right ankle condition, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the SMC claim due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's employment status and additional VA and private treatment records are needed. The appeal is now in remand status.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on several service-connected disabilities is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.