Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to inadequate development in prior examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents in the Republic of Vietnam under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and migraine headaches due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and its secondary effects, including sleep apnea, asthma, and hypertension. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fatigue, sleep apnea, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of medical opinions regarding causation or aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, secondary to OSA, due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding their onset and relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding private treatment records, specifically from 1992. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain these records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a diagnosis or disability within one year after separation from service and that the single blood pressure reading during active duty did not meet current VA compensation criteria for hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II (DM) with erectile dysfunction and hypertension is remanded due to the need for additional examinations. An effective date of May 14, 2008, but no earlier, has been granted for the award of service connection for DM.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those for initial disability ratings and service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension and erectile dysfunction have been granted. Increased ratings for bilateral knee limitations of flexion are also granted.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including headaches, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral eye disabilities, a kidney cyst, left and right foot disabilities. The issues are related to aggravation of these conditions by other service-connected disabilities or due to exposure to burn pits and smoke during service in Saudi Arabia.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and his service-connected conditions, as well as whether obesity is an intermediate step in causing or aggravating the condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as due to herbicide agent exposure under the PACT Act. The claim for secondary service connection remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional medical opinions regarding his neck, shoulder, knee, and hip disabilities as well as hypertension and acid reflux. The claims are being returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on direct service connection and an earlier effective date consideration.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a gastrointestinal disorder, finding that the pre-existing conditions did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection due to the PACT Act presumption of herbicide agent exposure. The renal cell carcinoma, which is secondary to hypertension, also receives service connection based on the PACT Act and the presumed relationship between hypertension and Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding his visual disturbances related to hypertension. The VA will obtain an addendum from the examiner who completed the October 2021 VA hypertension disability benefits questionnaire.