Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for arthritis, degenerative disc disease, headaches/chronic migraines, and chronic joint pain as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for bronchitis, lungs and chest burns, and hypertension are remanded due to the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) and an indication of an association between the claimed disabilities and TERA.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression; lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS); a left lower extremity nerve disability; and a right lower extremity nerve disability. The claims were remanded for further development regarding hypertension and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer and conditions secondary to it, including erectile dysfunction, hypertension, ischemic stroke, urge incontinence, upper and lower extremity neuropathies, and a heart disability. The claims for other conditions were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for high blood pressure and two stents in heart as further development is needed to obtain outstanding medical records.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection and DEA benefits, as well as service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 80 percent rating and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance.

The appeal concerning the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was withdrawn by their authorized representative before a decision was made.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including atrial fibrillation and irritable bowel syndrome, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not scheduling VA examinations when the Veteran was available.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of February 4, 2014, for the grant of service connection for hypertension but denied a compensable evaluation.

The Board remands the service connection claims for hypertension, fatigue, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to cure a duty to assist error related to outstanding SSA records.

The Board granted service connection for high blood pressure and headaches as secondary to the Veteran's current service-connected temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and a 70 percent increased initial disability evaluation for generalized anxiety disorder, effective April 10, 2019.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, uveitis of the right eye with increased ocular pressure and defective vision, increased ocular pressure of the left eye with defective vision, hypertension, a respiratory disorder (claimed as asthmatic bronchitis), a skin disability, sarcoid arthritis, chest pain, and an acquired psychiatric disability, to obtain new VA examinations.

The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for hypertension due to a need for an addendum opinion that considers specific facts and circumstances related to the Veteran's claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder, finding no evidence of a causal or aggravating relationship between the two conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a heart disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, a prostate disability, an eye disability, and a rectal disability, all as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with MDD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected hypertension as there was no evidence of diastolic blood pressure predominantly 100 or more, or systolic blood pressure predominantly 160 or more.

The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma but denied an initial compensable disability rating for hypertension and dismissed the claim for a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple, noncompensable disabilities.

The Board granted an effective date of January 31, 2020, for the award of a 10 percent rating for GERD and granted ratings of 60 percent for GERD, 70 percent for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder prior to February 13, 2020, and 70 percent on and after August 12, 2020.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of January 10, 2021, for the grant of service connection for chronic kidney disease with diabetic nephropathy and hypertension.

The Board dismissed the appeal for entitlement to earlier effective dates and higher initial ratings for hypothyroidism and hypertension, as no further discussion of these issues is necessary.