Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, hypertension, kidney disability, vision disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to lack of competent evidence establishing current diagnoses or in-service incurrence.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to SMC and TDIU due to inextricably intertwined service connection claims for DMII and hypertension. These issues will be reconsidered once the service connection claims have been resolved.

The Veteran's hypertension is remanded due to an inaccurate factual premise in the VA medical opinion.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded as there are no treatment records until 2011, and his statements regarding in-service onset and continuity of symptoms are considered.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current level of disability and manifestations due to his service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension due to incomplete records and additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and congestive heart failure due to incomplete service records. The right eye disability claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure and denied a higher rating for PTSD prior to April 3, 2019. The Veteran's hypertension was not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of hypertension during or within one year after discharge. For PTSD, the Board found that the current level of disability did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of gastroesophageal reflux disease and hypertension, as well as his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 4, 2007. The reasons are that VA examiners did not consider or address whether the Veteran’s GERD is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected alcohol abuse disorder and/or due to his two episodes of viral gastroenteritis during service, and whether his hypertension is related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral knee condition, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than service-connected schizophrenia), a respiratory condition, a skin disorder, and high blood pressure. The case is being remanded to allow for these examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his prostate cancer and other conditions. The issues include service connection for various disabilities, including prostate cancer, hypertrophy of the breast, high blood pressure, residuals from paralysis of the fourth cranial nerve, HIV, heart disability, sleep disorder, arthritis, and bone and cartilage disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hypothyroidism, both secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for temporal lobe epilepsy and an eye disorder (cataracts and glaucoma), both secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hypothyroidism were denied as they are not considered directly related to his active duty service. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for temporal lobe epilepsy and an eye disorder (cataracts and glaucoma), both secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent. The issue of service connection for hypertension is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected and aggravated by his diabetic nephropathy. The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70% for PTSD has been withdrawn. Issues related to a left thigh skin disability, PFB, bilateral hearing loss, CAD, right knee strain with instability, cortical cataracts, SMC based on loss of use, and TDIU prior to March 9, 2006 are all remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for hypertension due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's presence in Vietnam. The claims will be reviewed again with consideration of any verified exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for chemical poisoning, anxiety and PTSD, heart attack and a heart stent, hypertension, prostate cancer, low back injury with posttraumatic degenerative changes, left lower extremity radiculopathy, irritant dermatitis, gout in the right foot, and left shoulder acromioclavicular separation status post-operative. The Veteran is not service-connected for any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, to include as secondary to OSA due to a lack of VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for nosebleeds due to hypertension, finding that the nosebleeds are proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of all appeals related to his claims for increased ratings and service connection. The Board has dismissed these appeals as the Veteran explicitly requested their withdrawal.