Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's hypertension, left upper and right upper extremity neuropathy, left knee disability, and right knee disability are granted. The Veteran's DM is remanded for increased rating consideration.

The Board is remanding the case to consider whether the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine's Update from 2018 was constructively part of the record and to obtain a direct service connection nexus opinion regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and denied service connection for left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, and acquired psychiatric disability. The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension has been denied.,The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, hypertension, and TDIU due to potential exposure to herbicide agents and lead paint during service. Additional development is needed to verify these exposures.

The Board has remanded several claims for service connection, including those related to neurological disabilities and fibromyalgia. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, specifically obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his active service, particularly exposure to herbicidal agents.

The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be etiologically related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and he has been granted service connection for this condition under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy and type II diabetes mellitus have been granted increased ratings, while erectile dysfunction and hypertension remain denied.,A separate initial disability rating of 10 percent has been granted for right ankle instability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease (recharacterized to a heart disability) has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection for hypertension is granted based on the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents during Vietnam service.,Service connection for chronic kidney disease secondary to diabetes mellitus is granted.,The Board finds that additional development is needed regarding whether service connection for hypertension and a heart disability are warranted on a facts-found basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected PTSD, hypertension, or other conditions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and/or hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension and OSA are related to her service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and PTSD) due to insufficient evidence on record.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability and hypertension due to new evidence received since the April 2015 rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip osteoarthritis status post total replacement with femoral impingement syndrome and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with a lumbosacral strain, spondylosis, and scoliosis. Service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, sleep apnea, breathing disability, deviated septum, tinnitus, and hypertension have been granted. The Board found new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The appeal with respect to the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is dismissed.,Entitlement to service connection for a lung disability is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for chronic open angle glaucoma and nuclear sclerotic cataracts is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability (claimed as skeletal arthritis) is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral elbow disability (claimed as skeletal arthritis) is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral wrist disability (claimed as skeletal arthritis) is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip disability (claimed as skeletal arthritis) is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a spine disability (claimed as skeletal arthritis) is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability (claimed as skeletal arthritis) is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for hypertension due to service or service-connected disease or injury is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for a heart disability due to service or service-connected disease or injury is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction due to service or service-connected disease or injury is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to service or service-connected disease or injury is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to service or service-connected disease or injury is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for RBD is denied.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including kidney disability, heart disability, liver disability, hypertension, thyroid disability, diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy, all related to exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's service in Vietnam was not confirmed, and there is no evidence of exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted with a 10% rating. The right foot hallux valgus and left knee Osgood Schlatter's disease cases are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's low back disability aggravated obesity, which in turn caused hypertension and diabetes. The Board granted secondary service connection for both conditions.