Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, pulmonary congestion, skin cancer, and cause of death due to service connection purposes. The issues are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding these conditions.

The Board has dismissed all claims including the evaluation for a right total knee arthroplasty, service connection for hypertension and asthma due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension due to insufficient medical opinions regarding causation, aggravation, and obesity.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and hypertension are granted, with hypertension being granted under the PACT Act of 2022.

The Board has remanded the cases due to missing VA treatment records and inextricably intertwined with service connection claims. The RO is required to obtain all outstanding records, including from VAMC in Brooklyn, NY.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient development of records, particularly those from before October 2009. The Veteran's service personnel records and VA treatment records for that period need to be obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, continuity of symptomatology is not established, and are not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease. Therefore, service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral leg disability, bilateral foot disability, sinus disability (to include sinus headaches), and hypertension has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being REMANDED due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including obesity, back disorders, neck disorders, lower extremity disorders, upper extremity disorders, and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as he is already assigned the maximum schedular rating available. The cases for service connection for painful knees, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and phlebitis are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, treatment records, and verification of his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's exposure to asbestos in service and its relationship to his current respiratory disorder, asbestosis, COPD, left side/left lung area pain, and hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in the Republic of Vietnam, as provided by the PACT Act. The claim is granted.

Service connection for bladder disability, sleep apnea, and hypertension is granted. Service connection for bilateral hand disability is also granted.,The Veteran's current conditions are presumed due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, but denied left ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA's definition of a disability. The claim for hypertension is remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an adequate opinion.,Service connection for hypertension will be remanded to determine if any service-connected disabilities caused or substantially contributed to the Veteran's obesity and subsequent hypertension.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected due to the lack of evidence linking his terminal conditions to service. DIC benefits were also denied as he did not meet the criteria for continuous total disability rating.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility are denied as the evidence does not show that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 27, 2011.,The Board found no entitlement to TDIU prior to May 27, 2011, due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his ability to engage in activities such as painting and working on cars.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, heart condition, type II diabetes mellitus, chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea as the evidence did not show these conditions were related to service or any presumptive exposure.,There is no credible evidence showing that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and a skin condition are granted. The claim for a skin condition is remanded due to the need for an opinion regarding exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected PTSD due to a lack of nexus opinions. The Veteran is required to provide an opinion on whether his conditions are related to military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, and the Board applied the PACT Act for this determination.