Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to non-compliance with a previous remand. A TERA examination is required for GERD, skin rash, and hypertension as they may be related to toxic exposure risk activities during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evidence review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, high blood pressure, and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine (previously rated as thoracic scoliosis) was denied. The Veteran received a 10 percent rating for his high blood pressure effective October 24, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities (including as secondary to service-connected hypertension), residuals of strokes (secondary to service-connected hypertension), bilateral glaucoma (secondary to service-connected hypertension), and low back disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee disability).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for esophageal conditions and hypertension, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, residuals of bladder cancer, and kidney condition are granted. Service connection is established based on herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease, effective from October 1, 2022.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Board also remanded cases regarding chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), migraine headaches, sinusitis, and rhinitis due to OSA.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development and consideration, including obtaining private treatment records and providing an opinion regarding whether his pulmonary hypertension and sleep apnea are proximately due or aggravated by service-connected hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and a skin condition other than dermatitis due to insufficient examination opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently under review.

The Veteran's hearing loss, pinguecula (eyes burning), sleep apnea, hypertension, left shoulder disability, allergies, shin splints, knee pain, and neck disability are all remanded for further examination and opinion. The PACT Act is not applicable to these claims.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the claim of TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for right ear hearing loss, diabetes, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (ED), bilateral cataracts, and peripheral neuropathy have been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to August 5, 2016.

The Veteran's CAD and hypertension are found to be related to his service-connected PTSD.,PTSD is not associated with the claimed conditions of tinnitus, migraine headaches, sleep disorder, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, diverticulitis, bilateral eye disability, low back disability, or bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for hypertension was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, which is required for a higher rating.,Headaches were granted service connection based on secondary to a service-connected psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

A 30 percent rating for asthma is granted, separate from a rating for service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The appeals seeking reopening of a prior final denial of service connection for memory loss; service connection for fatigue, bilateral hearing loss, and hernia; increased ratings greater than 10 percent each for right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome and residuals of right fifth metatarsal fracture; and an earlier effective date than May 23, 2018, for the grants of service connection for left and right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome, lumbosacral strain, hypertension, tension headaches, right and left shoulder strain with glenohumeral joint instability, and asthma are dismissed.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as incurred in service.,Other claims for service connection are either remanded or reopened.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for sinusitis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea. The claim for service connection for PTSD has also been granted. However, the claim for service connection for deviated septum was previously established in an August 2019 rating decision and is therefore dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development and consideration due to new evidence being added to the record.