Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the terms of its previous remand instructions. Further remand is necessary to obtain all VA treatment records from 1999 to the present and to verify the Veteran's alleged service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's hypertension and left foot condition have been restored to their previous ratings, while the Veteran has been granted increased ratings for these conditions. He also received service connection for secondary conditions related to his left foot condition and a TDIU based on his disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that it was present in service and continues to exist now.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a presumptive condition due to herbicide agent exposure under the PACT Act. The issue of service connection for unspecified transient cerebral ischemia is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for right hip injury, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus and its complications, peripheral neuropathy, vision issues, bladder problems, gastrointestinal symptoms, and hypertension, were denied as they are not related to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination and development of records, particularly regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hip disability and hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and hypertension, finding that there was no increase in severity of these conditions during service and that they were not incurred or manifested to a compensable degree within one year of service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the claimed conditions and exposure history. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, erectile dysfunction, PVD, and OSA are all being reviewed.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for left knee disorder, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and hypertension. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for a retrospective medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's other heart conditions are related to his service-connected hypertension and coronary artery disease, as well as if they are aggravated by these conditions. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the increased rating issue.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incongruities in the medical opinions and lack of nexus evidence.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a result of the PACT Act, which now presumes service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure.,Service connection is granted for right and left lower extremity peripheral arterial disease based on herbicide exposure. Service connection is also granted for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to alcohol abuse related to PTSD.

The Veteran's hypertension was previously denied a compensable rating, and the Board has remanded for further development.,The Veteran's hypothyroidism claim is also remanded as part of an intertwined TDIU issue. The Board directed to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, hypertension is granted as service-connected due to Agent Orange exposure, and the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension is granted based on the PACT Act, which establishes presumptive service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient medical evidence of record and a need for a combined-effects medical examination. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, gout, lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome, left sciatic nerve impingement, right sciatic nerve impingement, hypertension, tinnitus, left upper lip scar, right thigh scar, left posterior thorax scar, and bilateral tinea pedis. The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded to allow for a proper examination and evaluation of his employment impact.

The Veteran's appeals of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, gastrointestinal condition (hiatal hernia and acid reflux), arthritis of the upper extremities, and left ankle condition have been dismissed as moot due to the grant of these conditions in a prior rating decision. The appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has also been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to potential missing Department of Defense records from Womack Army Medical Center related to the Veteran's death and autopsy.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, including prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, and hypertension.