Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively linked to herbicide exposure, but the Board has remanded for further clarification on whether it was caused or aggravated by service-connected IHD and/or DM.

The Board has dismissed all issues on appeal due to the Veteran's authorized representative withdrawing the appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for hypertension, including whether it is related to obstructive sleep apnea. Additional medical opinion is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for CHF resulting from hypertension due to herbicide agent exposure for accrued benefits purposes only. The claim for TDIU for accrued benefits purposes is remanded.

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

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided do not meet the appropriate standard for secondary aggravation, and thus the claims must be remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, as secondary to a service-connected disability due to inadequate nexus opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and other musculoskeletal conditions.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for the left knee disability with painful limitation of flexion is denied. The current symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a headache disability due to incomplete development of evidence, including the need for medical opinions regarding the onset and aggravation of these conditions during active duty.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from October 6, 2009, to December 26, 2012, is granted. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the possibility of worsening since his last VA examination in July 2016.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II as due to herbicide agent exposure is remanded because there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded due to the possibility that the condition has worsened since the last VA examination in July 2016.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded because there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease is remanded due to the possibility that there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder is remanded because there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is remanded due to the possibility that there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is remanded due to the possibility that there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee scar is remanded because there may be new evidence indicating exposure within the territorial waters of Guam or the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for presbyopia is denied as refractive errors are not considered diseases or injuries under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia, acquired psychiatric disability, right shoulder disability, skin disease, dental disability, hepatitis B, left shoulder disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, microscopic hematuria, GERD, and hypertension. The Board found no evidence of in-service incurrence or a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further readjudication, including determining whether hypertension could serve as an intermediate step between the Veteran's service and his renal cell cancer.

The Veteran's tension headaches and left ankle disability manifested by pain are granted service connection.,The Veteran's hypertension, secondary to major depressive disorder, right ankle sprain/residuals of fibula fracture, and left ankle disability manifested by pain is granted service connection.,The Veteran's bilateral hypertensive retinopathy, secondary to hypertension, is granted service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination report and the need for further development.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease as moot because they have been granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at a 10 percent disability rating since June 1, 2010. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran had a history of diastolic blood pressure predominantly 100 or more requiring continuous medication for control.

The Board has determined that renal insufficiency is due to a cardiovascular disorder associated with hypertension, which is already service-connected. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection for renal insufficiency is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service, has been granted. The claims for other conditions have been reopened and are being remanded.