Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Board has dismissed all claims related to the appellant's service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, hypertension, and PTSD. The appeals were also dismissed regarding rating decisions and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II due to asbestos exposure and service-connected disabilities. The VA is required to obtain medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities and hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 30 percent disabling prior to August 12, 2016. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD due to the severity of his symptoms resulting in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not related to her in-service pregnancy-related condition and instead due to intercurrent causes. The Board concluded there was no evidence of continuity of symptomatology or a compensable degree of disability within one year post-separation from service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, adjustment disorder with anxiety, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and other conditions were denied. The Veteran was granted a separate 20 percent rating for her right knee meniscal tear from September 25, 2019. Other increased ratings were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, and a broken right hand are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as directly related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service, and the earliest possible effective date is allowed.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to his service-connected schizophrenia with cocaine use disorder.,Service connection for left shoulder disability, heart disability, and TBI and residuals thereof are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD and sleep apnea. The examiner must consider all submitted medical literature and determine if obesity/weight gain as a result of these service-connected disabilities was a substantial factor in causing hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran is also seeking TDIU based on these disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence and the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected COPD, which renders him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation. The decision is granted from May 29, 2011.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for hypertension due to insufficient information regarding his service in the Republic of Vietnam. More details are needed to determine if he served within twelve nautical miles off the shores, which could affect his eligibility for presumptive conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to unavailability of service records and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms in service will be considered, as well as those of his buddy.

The Board has denied an earlier effective date for headaches and remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions due to a VA catheter ablation procedure. The Veteran's representative requested compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, but the Board found no additional disability as a result of the procedure.

The Veteran's left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, cardiovascular disability (including hypertensive heart disease, persistent tachycardia, and left ventricular hypertrophy), and hypertension were not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period.,While the Veteran has current diagnoses of a cardiovascular disability and hypertension, there is no evidence showing that these conditions began during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The Board finds that continuity of symptomatology cannot be established for these disabilities as they were not noted during service.,The Veteran's left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis was shown during service and has been linked to a current diagnosis based on post-service treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to a lack of substantial compliance with its previous remand orders. Specifically, the AOJ needs to obtain evidence from the USPS OIG regarding their joint investigation on compensation benefits fraud conducted in 2013.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess his ability to work given his service-connected disabilities.