Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current, active manifestations of the claimed gastrointestinal disorder, malaria, or hypertension during service or within one year after discharge. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cardiovascular disease, which is likely due to hypertension and present during his service, either caused or contributed substantially to his death from congestive heart failure. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that there was no evidence linking the hypertension directly to his service or service-connected condition.

The veteran's medical conditions do not meet the regulatory criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Board finds that the veteran is entitled to an effective date of September 27, 2001 for the establishment of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The claim was received more than one year after the May 8, 2001 effective date for this change in regulations. The veteran's erectile dysfunction and low back disorder were not granted as service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for skin disorder, prostate disorder, hypertension, and low back disorder. The veteran's skin condition is not attributable to service or Agent Orange exposure. His prostate disorder was not incurred in service. Hypertension is presumed due to Agent Orange exposure, but the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a low back disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that his pre-existing hypertension did not worsen during active duty.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service, and concluded that the current conditions are not related to military service.,Hypertension was first noted many years after service.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for hypertrophic cardiovascular disease was granted effective October 2, 2003. The Board found that the increase in disability became factually ascertainable on this date.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including providing the VCAA notice and obtaining VA medical records related to his May 2003 surgery. The RO must also consider whether he may be entitled to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of a postoperative embolic cerebrovascular accident.

The Board found that the veteran does not have hypertension or heart disease that were incurred in service, and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board determined that the veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability and higher evaluation for hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, allowing for service connection of hypertension as secondary to service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for latex allergy/sensitivity and denied increased disability ratings for hypertension, sinusitis, right knee chondromalacia, and left knee chondromalacia. The veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, but the veteran's claims for benign prostatic hypertrophy, urethritis, a left varicocele, atherosclerosis with angina pectoris, and hypertension are remanded for further development.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for arthritis in the left knee and hypertension were denied. The right knee arthritis claim was remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left knee meniscus tear with osteoarthritis, hallux valgus of the left and right feet, hypertension, and pseudofolliculitis barbae with acne vulgaris. The conditions were found to not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD and left knee disability did not cause his death from cardiopulmonary arrest and cardiac arrhythmia. The Board found that the hypertension, which was diagnosed after discharge, was more likely than not essential in nature rather than secondary to PTSD.

The veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension, but the appeal is being remanded due to a lack of VA outpatient clinic records from Sacramento (Stockton Boulevard) in California. The RO needs to attempt to obtain these records.