Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to PTSD, is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on the etiology of his hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension requires medication for continuous control and warrants a 10 percent rating. The Board has granted a higher 10 percent rating, but remanded due to worsening symptoms. Service connection claims are also remanded for VA opinions on the etiologies of back disability, neck disability, hearing loss, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding service connection claims for a back condition, left knee gout (claimed as gout), and hypertension. The issues are related to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hypertension, including its relation to herbicide exposure and/or PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and residuals of hemorrhagic stroke have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed due to lack of a nexus between these conditions and service.,The Board found new evidence in support of reopening the claims, including testimony from the Veteran. However, further examination and opinion are required to determine if there is a causal relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and service-connected diabetes, as well as his residuals of hemorrhagic stroke and presumed herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and hypertension are being remanded due to the addition of new medical records. The Board will reassess these claims based on all available evidence.

The Veteran seeks service connection for left and right knee disabilities, which he claims are secondary to his service-connected back disability. The Board has remanded these issues due to the need for further development.,Service connection is being sought for left and right knee disabilities that the Veteran contends are related to his service-connected back disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including erectile dysfunction, cervical spine disability, hypertension, a disability manifested by constant urination, and a disability manifested by loss of sensation of the fingers. The reasons were that there was no current diagnosis or evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) due to herbicide exposure during service in Thailand. The case is remanded for a VA examination regarding the relationship between hypertension and herbicide exposure.

The appeal for service connection of hypertension has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, diagnosed as pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease, and asthma, for substitution and accrued benefits purposes. The evidence shows that these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected tinnitus, and whether the tinnitus has aggravated his hypertension.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, heart disorder, BPH, cervical spine degenerative disc disease with cervical muscle spasm, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral hip degenerative arthritis, right knee DJD, right ankle condition, vision disability (glaucoma and cataracts), and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and reasoning regarding service connection for sleep apnea, causation of obesity by service-connected disabilities, and aggravation of sleep apnea by obesity. A new VA examination is required.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, and major depressive disorder have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at the 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder since April 6, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, right foot skin condition, and high blood pressure have been reopened. The issues are being remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.,Service connection has not been established for a scar in the lower right side due to kidney surgery or a scar in the posterior trunk.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate opinions in the January 2020 VA examiner's reports. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted a compensable evaluation prior to February 20, 2020 and a 10 percent evaluation from February 20, 2020 to October 6, 2020. The appeal regarding entitlement to TDIU prior to January 9, 2019 is remanded for further consideration.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy has been dismissed as these issues have been granted.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have also been dismissed as these issues have been granted.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) has been remanded.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for urination/voiding dysfunction and hypertension have also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination and medical opinions, as well as outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's PTSD claim will be addressed again with a new VA examination, while his hypertension claim will require an opinion addressing its relationship to service-connected major depressive disorder.