Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2022

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis due to service in Vietnam, but the issue of direct and secondary service connection remains unresolved.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied as there is no current or recent diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied due to a lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned.,Service connection for alcohol abuse secondary to service-connected PTSD is granted. The Board finds that the most persuasive evidence demonstrates a link between the Veteran's alcohol dependence and his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction are related to his exposure to Agent Orange during service, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension are granted. The Board finds a remand is necessary to determine the cause or aggravation of his bilateral lower extremity disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the definition of 'early incipient hypertension' and its relation to hypertension.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, kidney disease stage 2, lymphocytosis, and leukocytosis (secondary to GERD). The right eye subconjunctival hemorrhage claim is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of lay statements regarding in-service symptoms and a prior sleep study, as well as failure to address learned treatises on the relationship between OSA and HTN. The examiner is asked to provide an addendum opinion addressing these issues.

The Veteran's hypertension, CVID, lactic acidosis, respiratory disorder (including asthma and COPD), and hypogammaglobulinemia are related to his exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.,Service connection for these conditions is granted based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a presumptive disease due to herbicide exposure. The liver disorder claim is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including revising a June 1970 rating decision on CUE, determining an earlier effective date for hypertension, addressing GSW residuals and TDIU, and evaluating nerve damage of the right arm. The appeals are pending due to procedural and evidentiary issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, memory loss, and hypertension due to procedural deficiencies and the need for a new opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's hypertension, which he was diagnosed with within one year of his honorable service separation in April 2007, is considered to have manifested during the presumptive period and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted due to herbicide exposure during service.,The Veteran's sinusitis, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ) are remanded for further examination.

The Board has ordered a remand for an addendum VA medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's hypertension is proximately caused by or aggravated by her service-connected hysterectomy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and TDIU, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disability, left knee disability, stomach disability, hypertension, back disability, and headaches due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied, and his claim for TDIU prior to March 24, 2022, was also denied as the evidence did not show he could secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hypertension are granted as presumptively related to service due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.