Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for Cushing's disease, hypertension, and GERD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected neck disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and cardiovascular disability were denied service connection. The Veteran was granted a 70% initial rating for his psychiatric disability prior to May 22, 2020.,TDIU benefits were also granted prior to May 22, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition, left ankle condition, low back condition, hypertension, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and a condition of the bilateral feet other than pes planus. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.,There was no medical opinion linking any of these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate nexus opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes. The AOJ needs to secure updated treatment records and obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing causation and aggravation of hypertension by diabetes.

Your claims for service connection for hypertension and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with pericarditis have been fully granted in a January 2021 rating decision. The appeals are dismissed as the benefits sought on appeal have been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to March 25, 2014. The decision found that the Veteran was not precluded from securing and following substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, but only beginning December 16, 2020. TDIU is granted for this period.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran asserts that his sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension are related to his Gulf War service exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and intervertebral disc syndrome has been granted. Service connection is also granted for hypertension. The issues of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a renal disability, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection due to lack of continuity of symptomatology or causation.

Service connection for hypertension is granted due to the PACT Act, which applies to veterans who served in Vietnam and has expanded benefits related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's service records confirm his service in Vietnam, and he was diagnosed with hypertension after discharge.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses did not meet the criteria for direct service connection due to lack of evidence showing onset during service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's TBI residuals, diabetes mellitus, peripheral polyneuropathy of the bilateral legs, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, and respiratory disability are granted. The Veteran's left eye photophobia and right eye photophobia are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including back and neck conditions, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, and a sleep disorder. The evidence submitted was found to be new but not relevant to the claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to a duty-to-assist error in not obtaining VA treatment records from the 1970s. The Veteran is required to provide complete copies of these records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for nephropathy with hypertension and for restoration of his 60 percent disability rating for hypertensive heart disease, finding that there was no evidence of actual improvement in the Veteran's conditions to warrant an increased rating.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, diverticulosis, headache disability, hypertension, vertigo, and hernia are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hyperlipidemia, hypertension, parathyroid adenoma, and thyroid disorder are all remanded. The Board found that the evidence is not in favor of service connection for hyperlipidemia but granted service connection for hypertension under the PACT Act. Service connection for parathyroid adenoma and thyroid disorder will be considered again as part of this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since June 29, 2006. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, which may be related to his service. The case will be reviewed with additional medical evidence and an addendum opinion.