Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hypertension and TDIU due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete verification of herbicide/pesticide exposure in Fort Knox, Kentucky from October 1966 to December 1966. The AOJ is instructed to make reasonable efforts to obtain this information and provide it to the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as they have no jurisdiction.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and nerve damage to fingers, finding that the conditions did not have their onset during service or within one year after discharge. The Board also found no evidence of herbicide exposure related to these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and a TDIU was granted from July 29, 2009 until April 2016. The rating for PTSD remains unchanged since the effective date of the increased rating decision.

The Veteran's hypertensive heart disease with syncope is rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under DC 7007. The Veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's hypertension has been rated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the period on appeal due to his diastolic pressure remaining below 100 and systolic pressure being between 100-160. The Veteran is currently in receipt of a 10% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy from January 7, 2014.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated as 10% since October 1, 2008. The Board found that the disability is most analogous to mild incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve and thus warrants a 10% rating.

The Veteran's hypertension and COPD with shortness of breath are not service connected as they did not begin during active duty or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The Gulf War presumption of service connection under 38 U.S.C. § 1117 and 38 C.F.R. § 3.317 does not apply.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, finding no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after his military service. The Board also found that any current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral painful hips, knees, ankles, sleep apnea and high blood pressure are remanded due to the need for further development regarding his service dates and VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent for the entire period on appeal. The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's hypertension is being evaluated based on herbicide exposure, while erectile dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea are being evaluated without a specific exposure basis.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection and rated at 10 percent. The cervical spine strain with DDD, left hip limitation of flexion, right hip limitation of flexion, right hip limitation of extension, left hip limitation of extension, impairment of the right thigh, and impairment of the left thigh are all denied ratings in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his assertions of in-service exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. The AOJ must verify these claims and then reassess the service connection based on this verification.

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

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a noncompensable rating effective December 20, 2016. The Veteran's claim is being remanded to determine the appropriate disability rating due to conflicting blood pressure readings over the appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia, a back condition, bronchitis, amnesia, fainting spells, and hypertension. The claims were not reopened.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The VA must obtain additional records and provide an updated opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's service connection for heart disease and pulmonary disorders, including pulmonary hypertension. The decision also requires obtaining medical records from Portsmouth General Hospital and a medical opinion on whether these conditions were caused by military service.

The Veteran's service connection for hypertension and renal failure is denied, but he is granted compensation for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his PTSD.