Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at a 10 percent disability rating effective March 28, 2016. The appeal for a higher rating was denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for service-connected hypertension prior to the scheduled hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, dilated cardiomyopathy, stroke residuals, deep venous thrombosis of the right lower extremity, and deep venous thrombosis of the left lower extremity. The claim for service connection for deep vein thrombosis of the right upper extremity is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea have been granted. Effective dates of December 18, 2017, but not earlier, have also been established for these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension, atrial fibrillation, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy are all granted as they are presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure.,Right foot hammertoe is denied as it did not manifest during service or is otherwise unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is related to service connection and remands for further action.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and hypertension, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension are granted on a presumptive basis under the 2022 PACT Act. The claim for chest condition with pain is denied.

The Veteran's organic circadian rhythm sleep disorder is granted as service connected. However, the claim for hypertension was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Board has granted the reopening of service connection for a lung disorder and has remanded the issue to determine if later identified pulmonary disorders were caused by in-service herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam-era service, with an effective date of August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be due to his service in Vietnam, where he was exposed to herbicides including Agent Orange. The PACT Act now grants this claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, depression, and back disability are remanded. Additionally, the overpayment claim is also remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's kidney disability, which was previously rated at 100% following a June 2013 transplant, is now denied an increased rating to over 30%. The evidence does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under either the old or new VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is found to be the cause of his obstructive sleep apnea, and thus he has been granted service connection for this condition.,Similarly, his service-connected hypertension is found to be caused by his obstructive sleep apnea, leading to a grant of service connection for this condition as well.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA opinion on whether the Veteran's hypertension began during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal before the Board.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension. The Veteran contends that his hypertension had its onset during service, but the previous VA examiner found insufficient evidence to support this claim.