Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's hypertension is granted under the PACT Act due to presumed herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's arthritis of the back is also granted as it was caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension with hypertensive heart disease is granted as presumptively related to his service in Thailand, and the PACT Act of 2022 applies. The COPD is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis or causal link to service.

The claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.,The previously denied claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act. The issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea due to potential in-service injuries or exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete adjudication of claims for service connection and accrued benefits, as well as issues related to substitution of claimant. Additional development is needed to complete these matters.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum medical opinion. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis, low back disability, and hypertension are not currently service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left eye disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension and renal insufficiency claims are remanded due to the passage of time since his last VA examination. The sleep disorder claim is also remanded as the Veteran has not been examined for this condition in over seven years.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with its previous remand directives and, as such, another remand is required for the Veteran's claims of right shoulder rotator cuff tear, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease with degenerative disc disease, right knee plica syndrome, and hypertension.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left upper extremity disability, left knee disability, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to insufficient evidence of improvement in his conditions under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to address the etiology of Bell's palsy, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and service connection for valvular heart disease.

The Board denied service connection for gout, finding no link between the Veteran's current diagnosis and his time in service.,Service connection was also denied for an eye disability claimed as corneal abrasion due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's death was caused by intracranial hemorrhage, and his diabetes may have contributed to the development of other health issues such as hypertension, eye disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension has been granted under the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022. The secondary service connection claim for hypertension is remanded to obtain a VA medical opinion.,The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the hypertension claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his hypertension on an extraschedular basis, finding that there was no evidence of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization due to his condition.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran's knee DJD, left eye disorder, and hypertension are denied.

The Board denied service connection for gout of the left and right ankles, lumbar spine disability, sinusitis, acid reflux, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, and hypertension as there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, hypertension, colon cancer, and scar tissue surgery due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA will obtain additional evidence and provide further examinations.