Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, which was caused by in-service exposure to herbicide agents, led to his acute renal failure and death. Therefore, service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure during service.,Myasthenia gravis, small fiber sensory neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, and acute herpes zoster neuropathy are all granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure during service.,There was no evidence provided that these conditions were not related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining new medical opinions on service connection claims and addressing a resource submitted by the Veteran regarding hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and its relationship to his service-connected chronic kidney disease with hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, neuropathies, and cardiovascular issues, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for loss of vision, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), diabetes mellitus, type II, and a gastrointestinal disability.

The Veteran's claim for rheumatoid arthritis is denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,The Veteran's claims for depressive disorder and anxiety disorder are remanded to obtain a VA examination to clarify whether they are related to service-connected PTSD or other medical conditions.,The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea is remanded to determine the cause of her weight gain, which may be due to medications prescribed for PTSD.,The Veteran's claim for liver disease is remanded to determine if it was caused by weight gain due to medications prescribed for PTSD and lack of motivation to exercise due to PTSD. Service connection cannot be established as no direct link to service has been found.,The Veteran's claim for cerebral aneurysm rupture is remanded to determine if it was related to hypertension, which is already service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD renders him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, granting a TDIU.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a finding of herbicide exposure during service and concluding that the Veteran's heart condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a microscopic analysis of the Veteran's urinalysis reports and an opinion regarding whether his hypertension is related to his renal dysfunction.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for hypertension is denied. The Board found that no new and material evidence was received within a year following the September 2009 denial, and thus the original decision remains final.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a presumptive disability due to his in-service herbicide agent exposure, under the PACT Act of 2022.

The Board dismissed all appeals for increased ratings and service connection due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected RLE peripheral neuropathy is granted with a 30% disability rating throughout the appeal period.,Service connection for LLE peripheral neuropathy prior to April 8, 2002 is also granted. However, from that date onwards, any request for a higher rating than 10% is denied.

The Veteran's death was caused by a cerebrovascular accident, which the VA determined were related to pre-existing conditions such as diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy and coronary artery disease. The Appellant applied for DIC benefits after her husband died in January 2014, but she did not receive them until July 20, 2017 due to a one-year waiting period. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and right hip disability to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions, as well as to address any potential secondary service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension, lumbar spine disability, and GERD are all granted on a secondary basis to his service-connected conditions. The hypertension is rated at 30 percent prior to January 29, 2021, and the GERD is rated at 60 percent from that date.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, allergic rhinitis, neck disorder, left shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, low back disorder, left hip disorder, left knee disorder, and left ankle disorder due to a lack of post-service treatment records. The Veteran is requested to submit or authorize VA to obtain any relevant medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a result of the PACT Act. The claims for asthma and bronchiectasis are remanded.