Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted a TDIU and established basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefits based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension and right ear hearing loss, as well as his appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, have been dismissed due to untimely filing of notices of disagreement.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking his CAD and hypertension to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to pending claims for accrued benefits and service connection. The issues of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and appendectomy scar are still under review.

The Board has granted service connection for both hypertension and erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes. The decision is based on medical opinions linking these conditions to the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cataracts, and hypertension due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, hypertension, and an eye disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.,Service connection is being remanded for further development regarding hypertension and eye disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right and left ankle disorders, right and left hip disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The claim for skin cancer was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, while the right leg disability claim was reopened but still denied. Service connection for hypertension is granted based on the PACT Act presumption. PTSD was denied as there is no diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The appeal of the claim for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is dismissed.,Service connection for hypertension, presumed due to herbicide exposure, is granted.,Service connection for kidney cancer, presumed due to Camp Lejeune exposure, is granted.,Service connection for lung cancer, secondary to service-connected kidney cancer, is granted.,Service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, presumed due to herbicide exposure, is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2; a back and/or cervical spine disorder; hypertension (all claimed as secondary to service-connected disabilities); and a right knee disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence showing these conditions began during or were aggravated by service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent. Service connection for hypertension and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine are granted, while service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, ingrown toenails, and a skin disorder are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The issues of service connection for a dental disability, left knee disability, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and anemia as MUCMIs, finding that they do not have a clear etiology or pathophysiology.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and stroke residuals are granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.,Service connection is also granted for the Veteran's now service-connected CAD causing his stroke residuals.

The Board denied service connection for OSA, HTN, fatigue, and joint pain as these conditions were not shown to be related to service or due to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that her current condition is not causally related to military service and did not manifest within one year of separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric condition (including anxiety disorder and depression) have been dismissed as the appeals are not about service connection at all. The Veteran was granted service connection for post left knee arthroscopy meniscal repair, left knee arthroscopic surgical scar, and a left knee strain in November 2021.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability, hypertension, and PTSD. The case will be returned to VA for further action.