Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's conceded herbicide exposure caused any disability that contributed to or hastened his death. The appeal is currently in a pending status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and therefore grants a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and development are necessary before the claims can be fully adjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records for the Veteran's low back disorder, asthma, hypertension, and vision disorder. The claims will be reviewed again after obtaining these records.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to the need for medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease was denied as there is no prior informal or formal claim found in the record, and the liberalizing regulation providing presumptive service connection for ischemic heart disease (which includes coronary artery disease) did not apply to his case.

The Veteran's status-post thoracolumbar strain is rated at 20 percent, effective January 25, 2013. His right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are each rated at 40 percent, also effective January 25, 2013. Hypertension remains rated as noncompensably disabling prior to January 25, 2013 and 10 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, bilateral hypertensive retinopathy, bilateral cataracts, and a sleep disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle ligament tear with residuals and granted service connection for patella spurring of the right and left knees, but denied an initial compensable disability rating for hypertension.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; a right shoulder disability; bilateral hearing loss; degenerative disc disease; and hypertension from appellate status.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability and hypertension, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction (ED). The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his military service. The other claims are not addressed as they were not adjudicated by the Board.

The Board found that the Veteran's dental disability, manifested by periodontal disease, bleeding gums, and loss of teeth, is not a compensable disability for which VA compensation may be granted.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service, and thus could not establish presumptive service connection for diabetes or hypertension. The Veteran's current diagnoses of diabetes and hypertension were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for PTSD, as well as his requests to reopen the claim for hypertension, were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the hypertension claim, and that a disability rating in excess of 30 percent was not warranted for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal of the claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral arthritis of the knees, bilateral foot condition, asthma, melanoma, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy involving all four extremities has been withdrawn.