Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, osteoarthritis of the ankles and knees, morbid obesity, and diabetes mellitus with neuropathy. The evidence does not show any in-service injury or disease that would support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board found that neither hypertension nor COPD were incurred in or aggravated by service, and the veteran's anxiety disorder did not cause his death. The Board concluded that there was no causal connection between the service-connected conditions and the cause of death.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration due to missing VA medical records.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, bilateral ankle, neck, right and left knee arthritis, and hypertension, were denied as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus with a rating of 20 percent effective January 30, 2002. The veteran's hypertension claim remains pending.

The veteran's service-connected labile hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent and the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability was incurred in service, and his cardiovascular disability (including hypertension and associated eye damage) is not presumed to have been incurred during service. The kidney disability is addressed separately.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury with an initial rating of 10 percent. Service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus due to in-service herbicide exposure is denied.

The veteran's service-connected conditions were evaluated, and the RO denied higher ratings for hypertension, hemorrhoids, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and asthma. The evaluations remained at 10 percent.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, the highest rating available under VA regulations. The Board found that his condition does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy, bilateral upper and lower extremities, as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus Type II have been dismissed due to the appellant effectively withdrawing these claims.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, but has found that there is not enough evidence to support his claims of right ear hearing loss and loss of peripheral vision.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease, but remanded the case due to additional development needed. The claim for hypertension remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an increased evaluation for coarctation of aorta with hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims. The veteran's retained surgical needle in chest is currently evaluated as noncompensable.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, low back disability, obesity, right hip disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The appeals were based on direct service connection rather than any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and left shoulder dislocation, finding that the evidence does not support a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension is related to service and grants his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected hypertension and bilateral hearing loss were denied as he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination, and the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for herbicide exposure is denied. The appeal related to other issues, including a claim for an increased evaluation for back disability and claims for service connection for heart disability and hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and gastrointestinal disorder in August 1987, finding no evidence of these conditions during service. New evidence submitted since then is not considered new and material.