Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for hypertension has been withdrawn.,The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, and right lower extremity pain (claimed as sciatica).,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his foot conditions have also been remanded.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is rated at a 70 percent rating, effective from October 8, 2012. A TDIU rating is granted.

The Board dismissed the appeal for a compensable rating for the service-connected migraine headache disability due to the Veteran's request to withdraw his appeal. The earlier effective dates for major depressive disorder (MDD) and hypertension (HTN) disabilities were granted.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate for the issues of fatty liver cysts, residual(s) of prostatectomy, residual(s) of a stroke, polymyositis with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, ischemic heart disease status post bypass (claimed as triple heart bypass), and hypertension. The Board has therefore remanded these matters for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is remanded due to the failure to obtain federal employment medical records and military facility records. The Board will attempt to obtain these records before deciding the case.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's condition began during active service and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, and fibromyalgia (undiagnosed illness and/or medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illness as a result of environmental hazards during the Persian Gulf War).,For hypertension, the Board found no current diagnosis. For hypertensive heart disease, the claim was not pursued due to lack of service connection for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed hypertension is causally linked to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and thus service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding increased ratings for chest surgery scars and hypertension, as well as service connection claims for right and left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, right foot sprain, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and right knee condition other than gout are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from June 30, 2006 to March 29, 2021.

The Veteran's disabilities, including vasculopathy and subsequent conditions such as degenerative joint disease, left great toe amputation, hypertension, stroke, pain on the left side of his body, right leg condition, and left leg condition, are not deemed to be proximately due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. Therefore, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to service and granted.,The Veteran's neuropathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity are all related to service and granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hypertension, including its pre-service status and whether it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 and hypertension are granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and cataracts of both eyes are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a result of the PACT Act, and his heart disease claim related to stroke and residuals thereof is remanded for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no current disability of hypertension during or approximate to the filing of the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with prior instructions, and further development is required.

The Veteran's non-VA emergency room visit for high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation on January 17, 2018 is considered a medical emergency under the prudent layperson standard. The denial of reimbursement was due to the VA facility being an hour and a half away from his home, which was deemed not feasibly available.