Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2005

The veteran's service-connected residuals of hemorrhagic fever with hypertension, retinal arteriosclerosis, renal impairment, and inability to concentrate urine are currently rated at 60 percent, the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 7502.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased evaluation for his hypertension due to incomplete records and requests that additional VA clinical documentation be incorporated into the record.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, or hypertension. The Board found no evidence of such conditions during active duty or within one year post-service, and concluded that any current acquired psychiatric disability is unrelated to service.

The July 1984 rating decision granting a 60 percent disability rating for arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease with hypertension is not considered to contain clear and unmistakable error.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the exact nature and etiology of the veteran's cardiovascular disease, eye disorder, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy. The case is being remanded for additional examinations and development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not caused by or a result of his service-connected nephrolithiasis, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II and rectal polyps were not service-connected due to lack of in-service exposure or evidence of a direct link. His hypertension was granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The veteran's sinusitis and left shoulder impingement syndrome are rated at the maximum allowed, while hypertension remains non-compensable. The case is remanded for further evaluation of restrictive airway disease.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as they are rated at less than 60% combined, and there is no evidence that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding no evidence of its occurrence during service or within one year of separation. The Board also found that there was no relationship between the veteran's hypertension and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection of PTSD. The reopened claim is now pending before the Board.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a noncompensable evaluation. Service connection for coronary artery disease was denied as not incurred or made worse by active service, nor proximately due to, or aggravated by, his service-connected hypertension.

The veteran's service records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to the claimed conditions. The veteran testified that he did not receive medical treatment for these conditions during his military service.,VA has reviewed all available evidence and determined that there is no basis to establish service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a chronic heart disability incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied an increased rating for left knee instability. The heart murmur is considered functional and not significant.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and hypertension, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of the claimed stressors and that his service-connected diabetes mellitus did not cause or increase the severity of his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by his service-connected PTSD, which aggravated his other conditions. The DIC claim is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for the cause of death. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 has been established.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disorder and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for hypertension with angina and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, finding that his service-connected condition did not meet the criteria for higher ratings or to warrant a total disability evaluation.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension may be presumed to have incurred in active service due to its manifestation within one year of his military service.