Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2005

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, as it is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's main contention is that his disabilities are causally related to herbicide exposure or other contamination during service. The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining the veteran's service personnel records and attempting to verify any allegations of herbicide exposure at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam.

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including hypertension, obesity, right hip disability, left hip disability, left foot disability, left knee disability, and left ankle disability. The effective date of a temporary total disability rating based on convalescence following VA hospitalization in November 1996 is also denied.

The veteran's PTSD was granted service connection. The other claims, including those for joint aches, skin rash, headaches, dizziness, Epstein-Barr virus, hypertension, hallux valgus (right great toe), right knee injury residuals, and low back disorder, are being remanded for additional development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an increased rating for jaw injury residuals, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, and pulmonary tuberculosis were not incurred or aggravated during his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a lung disorder, anxiety or depression, hearing loss, tinnitus, or hypertension that is attributable to his military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service, and specifically denied it as a direct result of his diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease with hypertension is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a disability incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for hypertension and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for blindness of the left eye, a low back disorder, and hypertension. The veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's hypertension was not rated higher than 20 percent from July 1, 2001 to August 24, 2004 and a rating in excess of 10 percent is denied. The veteran's bilateral pes planus warrants no more than a noncompensable rating.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and a new examination.

The Board finds that the veteran's cardiovascular disorder, including hypertension, is presumed to have been incurred in service. The other conditions (osteoarthritis, poor vision, and deafness) are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion on whether hypertension is related to service and issuing a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding earlier effective dates.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that it is at least as likely as not incurred in service. However, the gunshot wound to the left foot was not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for congestive heart failure with hypertension and flat feet, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board found no current disability related to the veteran's left hand injury during service and denied his claim for service connection. The hypertension issue is remanded due to a disagreement with the assigned rating.