Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and clarification of medical records, as well as for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's liver disorder and hypertension are caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in assigning an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left upper extremity weakness, left lower extremity weakness, and chronic kidney disease with hypertension. The Veteran's claims are remanded to obtain a new rating decision.,Additional examinations are needed to address the severity of the Veteran's sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU prior to November 16, 2021.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection on appeal are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations and opinions. The Veteran is entitled to VA examinations to determine if she has any diagnosed conditions, and whether those conditions may be related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral foot disorder and hypertension due to inadequate examination reports and failure to address certain issues.

The Veteran's hypertension was found to have begun within one year of separation from service, and the Board granted service connection based on this finding.

The Board denied service connection for monoclonal gammopathy and hypertension, as well as a psychiatric disability other than the already-service connected depressive disorder (PTSD), and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure, and the claim for service connection is granted. However, the Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the hypertension was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's death was not caused by his military service, but it is remanding the case to gather more information and possibly obtain an autopsy report.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and TDIU due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claim for service connection is now based on a new theory of entitlement, while the TDIU remains inextricably intertwined with this issue.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), right hand skin disorder, and left hand skin disorder due to insufficient evidence or conflicting opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for scars, including surgical excision due to melanoma and appendectomy, has been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and abdominal aortic aneurysm, secondary to hypertension. The decision is based on direct service connection due to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, which is presumed.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection under the PACT Act, but a secondary service connection for PTSD remains on appeal.

The Veteran's hypertension, which required continuous medication for control but did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7101, was denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and migraine headaches due to new relevant service treatment records being received after a prior final denial. Additional VA opinions are needed, including an examination of the Veteran's sinusitis.

The Board has granted the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it is related to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in service. The decision is based on a 2018 National Academy of Sciences Update which found sufficient evidence of an association between hypertension and herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as the Veteran had elevated blood pressure readings during his active service and continued to have them afterwards, which led to his diagnosis of hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including updated medical examinations.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of cervical spine disability was denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted within one year of the April 2017 rating decision.,Service connection for a pulmonary disability, hypertension, joint pain, muscle pain, digestive condition (irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis), cardiac condition, and hepatic condition were all remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.