Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left arm and leg disabilities, hypertension, and a respiratory disability. The decision also remanded the issues of service connection for a left shoulder disability (including arthritis) and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.,For the period prior to September 16, 2019, the Veteran’s coronary artery disease was rated at 30 percent and has been increased to 60 percent.,Starting from September 16, 2019, the Veteran's coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent.,The Veteran's hypertension remains denied as there is no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or secondary service connection to PTSD or diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's GERD has been granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and/or diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for allergies, arthritis, and hypertension due to service connection. The reasons include incomplete medical opinions and need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current hypertension is related to his service, specifically the borderline hypertension or pre-hypertension noted in 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents. As the disability was diagnosed several decades after separation from service, presumptive service connection cannot be established. However, direct service connection can be based on a favorable opinion linking the condition to the in-service exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including left wrist radiocarpal disease, right wrist radiocarpal disease, right wrist tendonitis, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), duodenitis, arthritis of the right foot, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service or any presumptive exposure basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and stroke residuals due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions. The VA must obtain additional treatment records, particularly from January 2002 and July 2011, and provide an addendum opinion addressing the onset and relationship between the Veteran's hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and stroke.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and lumbar spine, but denied service connection for bilateral lung disability and bilateral upper/lower extremity radiculopathy. The decision is remanded for further development in the case of a bilateral eye disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension and bladder cancer due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertensive heart disease is rated at 60 percent from November 24, 2017. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right shoulder rotator cuff tear and gastrointestinal condition with nausea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an etiological opinion for hypertension, which is claimed as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to service connection and rating of disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, prostate disability, diabetes mellitus, nerve disability, and stress fracture residuals. The Board dismissed these claims.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection, and the Board finds that his limited use of the left hand may be related to his service-connected conditions. The case is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's left knee disability, whether his hypertension is related to service, and whether his bilateral shoulder disabilities are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cardiac disease and hypertension due to new evidence received since the last denial.,The Veteran's current symptoms of persistent bleeding with secondary anemia from her hemorrhoids have been found to warrant a compensable rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on statutory housebound status as he does not have a single service-connected disability rated totally disabling, to include consideration of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it is related to presumed herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's muscle spasms of the legs and feet are remanded for further analysis regarding their relationship to service or secondary to service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's hypertension, claimed as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded for further analysis.,The Veteran's obesity (claimed as hypothyroidism) is remanded for further analysis regarding its relationship to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran's GERD is remanded for further analysis regarding its relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities due to inadequate examination opinions.