Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for chronic back pain, bilateral flatfoot, and hypertension as these conditions are found to have onset in service and continued since separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, left foot gout with hallux valgus, right foot gout with hallux valgus, left wrist degenerative arthritis with gout, right wrist degenerative arthritis with gout, left ankle degenerative arthritis with gout, right ankle degenerative arthritis with gout, membranous nephropathy, hypertension, left lower extremity varicose veins, and right lower extremity varicose veins.

The Veteran's conditions do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation due to their service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals regarding an earlier effective date and initial rating for hypertension associated with herbicide exposure. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 19, 2019, for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied. The Board found that the effective date should be no earlier than February 19, 2019, when service connection for hypertension was granted.

The Board denied readjudicating the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was granted as it is at least as likely as not related to service. The claims for diabetes mellitus and hypertension were dismissed as there are no justiciable issues remaining.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disease (claimed as irregular heartbeat and chest pain) were denied in the April 1985 rating decision. The denial was based on a lack of evidence showing these conditions during or immediately after his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest and hypertension. The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension met the criteria to be considered the primary cause of his death, warranting service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, hypertension, and bladder cancer are granted service connection. The Board has remanded the cases for further development regarding herbicide exposure claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted with effective dates of June 29, 2015. The Veteran is rated at 100% for his coronary artery disease and TERA participation.

The appeal is granted as the earlier effective dates for increased ratings of CAD and hearing loss, an earlier effective date for a 70% disability rating for PTSD, and an earlier effective date for TDIU benefits are granted. The appeal for SMC at the housebound rate is also granted with an effective date of January 30, 2023.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for hypertension and left shoulder disability due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has decided to remand several claims, including those for a compensable evaluation for service-connected hypothyroidism, service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, lower back disability, upper neck disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension. The reasons are that the VA examinations did not adequately address the Veteran's reported symptoms and potential aggravation of his conditions by his service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain relevant exposure information. The AOJ is instructed to conduct additional development as outlined in the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus and hypertension) do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected lumbar stenosis and DDD status post-laminectomy with cervical scars, and for a compensable disability rating for scars status-post laminectomy are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for high blood pressure is remanded as there was insufficient evidence to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine or neck disability, and for a prostate disability are denied.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension and has remanded the service connection claim for a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, left ear hearing loss, and hypertension are all denied as service connection is not established for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete etiology opinions regarding secondary service connection.