Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and left knee condition as the Veteran's conditions were found to be not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for rectal bleeding and polyps, finding that the condition clearly and unmistakably preexisted service and was not aggravated by it. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension prior to August 10, 2022, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service exposure through TERA activities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, unspecified insomnia disorder, alcohol abuse, obstructive sleep apnea, basal cell carcinoma, tinnitus, GERD, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding development of claims for increased ratings for PTSD and CAD. The remand may affect the consideration of SMC based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including a VA examination to address whether hypertension is caused or aggravated by PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle condition and hypertension are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and OSA are granted as service-connected.,Service connection for GERD is remanded due to insufficient evidence on whether it is secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is denied for psychiatric disability, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, and right knee.,Service connection was not established for a psychiatric disability, sleep apnea, or high blood pressure due to lack of evidence of such conditions during the pendency of the claim. Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board found no evidence of these conditions in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to establish a link between his current disabilities and service.,The Veteran was also denied an increased rating for duodenitis with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as there is no evidence showing severe symptoms that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not secondary to a service-connected disability and is not otherwise related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The evidence is at least in approximate balance that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service. The Board has therefore granted service connection for tinnitus.,The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety) remains remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided are inadequate for adjudication and requires additional opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's OSA, specifically addressing whether it is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus or hypertension.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The claims for hypertension and coronary artery disease, both potentially related to exposure to Agent Orange, are remanded due to lack of evidence on the issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right ankle strain caused or aggravated his hypertension, and if so, whether obesity is an intermediate step in this causal chain.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle condition, hypertension as secondary to lumbosacral strain, and sleep apnea as secondary to lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is not etiologically related to active service.,The Board concludes that, while the Veteran may experience symptoms of anxiety or depression, the evidence of record persuasively weighs against finding that any acquired psychiatric disorder began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is therefore denied.,The Board concludes that the claims must be remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors. Review of the claims file does not confirm that the Veteran was stationed in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. In this regard, the Board believes that additional efforts to determine whether the Veteran had active duty service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War are needed.,The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, CFS, fibromyalgia, and migraines, which he argues are due to toxic exposure risk activities (TERA). While the Veteran has consistently argued that he participated in TERA, this has not been verified by the RO. The Board finds it necessary to remand the Veteran's claims so that his potential TERA can be verified by the RO.,The Veteran seeks service connection for low back pain with intervertebral disc syndrome. He reports that he injured his back during a patrol in 2005 and contends that his current back disability is related to this injury. Remand is necessary to obtain the Veteran's complete military personnel records to ascertain whether his 2005 back injury happened during a period of ADT or IDT.,The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, CFS, fibromyalgia, and migraines. He contends that his disabilities are related to toxic exposures during service in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Veteran's October 2002 DD-214 confirms that the Veteran served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied, with the exception of the award of an effective date earlier than April 16, 2019 for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for diabetes mellitus (DM).,All other issues related to service connection or increased ratings have been dismissed due to lack of pending claims.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of hypertension due to withdrawal by the Veteran's authorized representative. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 for hiatal hernia repair is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee strain with degenerative arthritis, hypertension, and bilateral inguinal hernia due to incomplete records and inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has identified a duty to assist error and remands the case for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service aboard USS Coral Sea in the Republic of Vietnam.