Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues include hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of various extremities, kidney condition, valvular heart disease, erectile dysfunction, cataracts, diabetes mellitus, GERD, stomach condition, asbestosis, ankle conditions, back disability, knee conditions, arthritis, right hip condition, and left hip condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service, secondary to hypertension, or aggravated by abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The Veteran's hypertension is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and etiological opinion regarding its onset during service, relationship to service-connected conditions, and aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's kidney disease claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical records from his hospitalizations. Other service connection claims are being processed under the modernized review system.

The Veteran's request for a higher rating for right knee osteoarthritis is remanded due to inadequate examination.,Left knee osteoarthritis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II are all remanded as the Board needs additional opinions on their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has vacated the portion of its June 2023 decision that denied reopening claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension. The claims are now reopened, but the case is remanded to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's conditions and his service-connected anxiety disorder or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for colitis, hypertension, type II diabetes, and a lumbar spine disorder have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.,Service connection has also been denied for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, and erectile dysfunction secondary to type II diabetes, as well as left sciatic radicular pain and partial paralysis of the left sciatic nerve secondary to a lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature, onset, and etiology of his condition. The AOJ should also obtain any outstanding STRs and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his in-service herbicide agent exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the RO did not complete all directed development and returned the matter to the RO for further action. The Veteran's service records, including his MOS and locations of service, need to be verified, as well as VA examinations and opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and denied service connection for a right wrist injury, to include carpal tunnel syndrome, and a right wrist scar.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 20, 2017, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The maximum schedular rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260 has already been assigned.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical examinations. The issues include psychiatric disorders, cognitive conditions, thrombocytopenia, tinnitus, hypertension, foot conditions, knee conditions, and shoulder conditions.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding that the conditions are not related to service. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disability (GERD and/or hiatal hernia), and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries or diseases.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to insufficient evidence on record regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including hypertension, CAD, ED, and dental issues. The VA is directed to obtain additional medical opinions and treatment records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are granted based on in-service herbicide exposure.,Service connection for polycythemia vera is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded several service connection and rating issues due to the need for additional evidence or examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for preeclampsia (claimed as hypertension) and a pituitary gland disability due to complications from childbirth during service.