Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has remanded several issues including the initial rating for headache syndrome, degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, hypertension, and a TDIU prior to April 13, 2018. Additional evidence is needed in some cases.

The Veteran is granted a higher rating for SMC under section 1114(o) and awarded two separate ratings of SMC based on loss of use of both feet due to service-connected peripheral neuropathy and need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease claims, including obtaining a medical opinion on the etiology of his hypertension. The effective date claim is dismissed.

The Board has found that the VA did not obtain all requested records and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected, while hypertension remains denied due to lack of new material evidence. The Veteran is also awarded a 20% rating for his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in determining whether hypertension had its onset during service or is related to it. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to determine this.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding when the Veteran's hypertension began, and the need for an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of any hypertension found to be present.

The Board has denied service connection for heart disease and hypertension, but has remanded the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and prostate disability due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within the presumptive period. The examiner concluded that hypertension is not related to service-connected conditions and did not aggravate those conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current diagnosis of hypertension is related to his exposure to herbicide agents during active duty service. The appeal will be granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives and a need for an additional opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to, or aggravated by, his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for mitral valve disease and hypertension, as well as the claim for TDIU due to insufficient development of the Veteran's occupational history.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary heart disease), myocardial infarction, pulmonary hypertension, and ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's medical conditions, when considered together, result in her inability to care for her daily personal needs without regular assistance from others and an inability to protect herself from the hazards of her daily environment. The Board has determined that she meets the criteria for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence in the original decision. The Court found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, his hypertension was not related to herbicide exposure or secondary to PTSD, and his sleep apnea may be related to PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no evidence of chronic hypertension in service or within the applicable presumptive period.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is also denied. The Board finds that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus cannot establish herbicide exposure. Additionally, secondary service connection to a service-connected condition (hypertension) is not granted as there is no evidence of hypertension in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as they do not result in loss of use of a hand or foot, ankylosis of a hip or knee, or central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye.