Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cardiovascular and hypertension disorders and his military service, including any herbicide exposure.

The Board dismissed all appeals regarding the Veteran's claims for various conditions and ratings, as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis (claimed as rheumatism), and arthritis were denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,There is no indication that the Veteran had any of these conditions during or immediately after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for gout and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service or any other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a disorder of the pancreas due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and her service-connected lymphoma is granted. The claims for benign growth behind organs, high blood pressure due to collapsed artery, kidney compressed artery post stent, and autoimmune disorder are denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to an incomplete search for ship logs of the U.S.S. Hollister, which may have corroborated the Veteran's account of exposure to hazardous fumes resulting in his current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of its onset in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The claim was also denied for an increased rating for PTSD.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea. Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to new evidence received.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, as it is unclear whether there is a causal relationship between his hypertension and exposure to herbicides or if it is related to his service-connected PTSD. The case will be reviewed with an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for hypertension associated with ureterolithiasis, effective October 31, 2011. The appeal regarding a higher rating for ureterolithiasis remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and a respiratory disorder due to inadequate reasoning in the VA addendum medical opinions. The Veteran needs new opinions addressing whether his service-connected erectile dysfunction causes or aggravates his hypertension, and whether he had a respiratory condition during service.

The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) and hypertension, both of which are presumed to be related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The decision is based on direct service connection due to the Veteran's MOS duties placing him near the perimeter of Thai military bases where he was likely exposed to herbicides.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 21, 2004 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's combined disability rating was at least 70 percent since July 21, 2004.

Service connection is granted for Major Depressive Disorder, OSA, CAD, and Hypertension as secondary to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Veteran's low back disability, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, sinusitis, and thyroid disease are not currently service connected.

The Board denied a rating greater than 10 percent for service-connected hypertension, finding that the Veteran's diastolic pressure was not predominantly 110 or more and his systolic pressure was not predominantly 200 or more during the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for colon polyps, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence rather than presumptive exposure to herbicides or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD, a rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD, and ratings in excess of 30 percent prior to June 18, 2016 and a rating in excess of 70 percent thereafter for PTSD. The claim for TDIU was also withdrawn.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, including asthma and sinusitis, as well as hypertension. The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence rather than presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether sleep apnea was related to service, specifically if it manifested during or shortly after service. The Veteran claims that his uncontrollable hypertension in service is evidence of the initial manifestation of sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, but denied the claims for Sleep Apnea, Glaucoma, Sinus Condition, Breathing Condition, Headaches, and Hypertension. The effective date for PTSD is May 30, 2014.