Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected under the PACT Act.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability is denied.,A rating of 70 percent, but no higher, for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (all radicular groups) is granted.,A rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (all radicular groups) is granted.,A rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (sciatic nerve) is granted.,A rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (sciatic nerve) is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for gout, right knee strain, obstructive sleep apnea, heart block with dilated cardiomyopathy, and hypertension due to inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities are granted. Additionally, his claim for hypertension due to in-service herbicide exposure is granted under the PACT Act.,Service connection is established for bilateral knee and low back arthritis as they began during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as aggravated by a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Board is remanding for further development to obtain updated medical records and determine if his cause of death was related to hypertension or coronary artery disease.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type II due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected cirrhosis and his claimed conditions, as well as uncertainties in the dose estimate and causation of the Veteran's rectal cancer.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral foot gout, and left foot osteoarthritis as the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for chronic blood disorder in urine, penile dysfunction, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder (previously claimed as irritable bowel dysfunction), acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and sleeping disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee, cervical spine, hypertension, left elbow, headache, and right shoulder disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete factual premises in previous examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, hypertension, left ankle condition, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, lung condition, gastrointestinal disability (IBS and gastroenteritis), migraine headaches, and sickle cell trait are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require a higher level of aid and attendance, necessitating personal health-care services provided on a daily basis by a person who is licensed to provide such services. The Board has granted the increased SMC (r)(2) based on this need.

DIC based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act. The appeal for DIC pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1318, accrued benefits, and survivor's pension (death pension) are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension due to new evidence received since June 2016. The ankle and knee disability claims are also being remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including colon cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of multiple extremities. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development regarding exposure to burn pits during active service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, IBS, lumbosacral strain, right wrist sprain, deep vein thrombosis with residual pain, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and pulmonary vascular disease were all denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions and concluded that the evidence did not support service connection for any of them.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively service connected due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022.,Service connection for a skin condition and residuals of malaria are denied.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and skin condition. The claim of service connection for hypertension was granted in a March 2023 rating decision, but the Veteran did not appeal the rating or effective date assigned. The claim of service connection for skin condition was denied as there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology after service and the post-service diagnoses are unrelated to any in-service rash.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for open-angle glaucoma, secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension were granted under the PACT Act.,Service connection was established for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents while stationed at Takhli Royal Thailand Air Force Base (RTAFB).

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for hypertension, finding new and material evidence to support this claim. The Veteran's hypertension is related to his active-duty service.,The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for leg cramps, as no new and material evidence was received since the May 2009 decision.