Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

Service connection for hypertension is granted as secondary to the service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, due to herbicide exposure, is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is granted, as the evidence supports that his current condition likely resulted from an injury during active service.,Service connection is also granted for hypokalemia, but not hypertension or residual scar, due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to procedural issues and the need to verify her dates of Army Reserve service. The right knee condition claim requires a VA examination.

The Veteran's hepatitis B and hypertension have been granted service connection due to exposure during service. The bilateral eye disability has also been granted service connection as it is proximately due to the service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Service connection for hepatitis B, hypertension, and a bilateral eye disability (diagnosed as bilateral steroid responsive glaucoma status post Ahmed and Baerveldt shunts) have all been established.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumed due to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for chronic constipation and a skin rash are denied. The Board found the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and service or any service-connected disabilities.,Bilateral hearing loss was denied, with no effective date provided.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumed due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, otitis media of the right ear, and onychomycosis of both feet. A mental disorders examination is also required.

The Veteran's hypertension and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted service connection. The kidney condition is remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric/cognitive disability, diabetes mellitus, cardiac disability, hypertension, bilateral neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, and need for aid and attendance are not service-connected.,These issues have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a respiratory disorder and eye disorder was denied. Service connection for hypertension (HTN) is granted on the basis of presumptive exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, as per the PACT Act.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to herbicide agent exposure. The left knee disorder, sinusitis, prostate disorder, and pseudofolliculitis barbae are all remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction are granted as service-connected, with the former being presumed due to herbicide agent exposure. The erectile dysfunction is also found to be aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, tinnitus, and PTSD have been granted. The issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a heart condition, bilateral hearing loss, and neurological disability of the right lower extremity are remanded.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims and effective date claims due to the Veteran's death.

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

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relationship to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The Veteran contends that he had a layover in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) while enroute to his assignment, but there is no concrete evidence confirming this claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's alleged service in Vietnam. The claim will be further developed to confirm any potential periods of active duty or ACDUTRA that may have occurred.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hypertension, knee conditions, hearing loss, mental health disorders, COPD and/or asthma, and sleep apnea. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records, verifying stressors, confirming exposure to asbestos, scheduling examinations for each condition, and determining the etiology of any diagnosed respiratory disorder and sleep disorder.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted due to presumed herbicide exposure during service.,The Veteran's coronary artery disease (ischemic heart disease) is granted an initial disability evaluation of 60 percent, effective April 25, 2017.,The Veteran's atrial fibrillation with implanted cardiac pacemaker associated with coronary artery disease is granted an initial disability evaluation of 30 percent, effective April 25, 2018.

The Board has found that an effective date prior to December 23, 2015, for the award of service connection for hypertension is not warranted. The case is remanded for further development regarding initial compensable rating for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tachycardia, and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for hypertension and an increased rating for left lower radiculopathy with diabetic neuropathy are being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new examination.