Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Veteran's hypertension and right knee condition are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his hypertension and a new examination for his right knee.

The evidence is in equipoise on whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected bipolar disorder with cannabis use disorder and diabetes mellitus type II, thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and prostate cancer, along with erectile dysfunction, make him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to May 24, 2012. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service-connected conditions, and the criteria for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were not met.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, anxiety, hernia residuals, and variant Creutzfeld-Jacobs disease (mad cow disease) have been denied. The claim for hypertension has been reopened but not granted due to lack of current disability evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension have been granted.,No ratings were increased or TDIU was granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is being reviewed for possible service connection as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The current examination report may not have adequately addressed the relationship between these conditions.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, prostate enlargement, and bladder/urinary disorder are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a left shoulder disability during service and determined that the current left shoulder disability is not related to service. The hypertension, elbow, wrist, back, radiculopathy, erectile dysfunction, and psychiatric disabilities were also denied as not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for CAD, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by a service-connected disability (hypertension).

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to obtain adequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and bladder disorder, including benign prostate hypertrophy.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all issues, indicating that the September 2016 rating decision granting him a 100% disability evaluation satisfied his appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for separate compensable evaluations for residuals of diabetes mellitus (DM) as there was no factually ascertainable increase in severity within one year prior to his March 4, 2012 informal claim. The effective date for the grant of service connection and separate ratings is therefore not earlier than March 4, 2012.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 60 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5237 for intervertebral disc syndrome. The Board finds that the evidence supports this rating as it includes incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome lasting at least six weeks during the past twelve months.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension did not have its onset during service and is not related to his service-connected gouty arthritis. The claim for service connection for a disability manifested by arthritic changes of the feet, ankles, and legs (secondary to gouty arthritis) was previously adjudicated but is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and missing records.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression NOS is rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The condition has caused significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, arthritis of the left foot, and tarsal tunnel syndrome of the right ankle. Service connection was granted for hemorrhoids, but with a non-compensable evaluation. The Veteran's right foot arthritis and surgical scars were also not granted increased evaluations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for several of his claimed conditions, and thus service connection cannot be granted. The claims are denied.

The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to be related to service or to have manifested within one year of separation, and there is no evidence that it arose during service. The Board finds the claim for service connection denied.