Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected hypertension with hypertensive heart disease warrants a 30 percent disability rating, as it includes evidence of cardiac hypertrophy and does not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The Board finds that the veteran's cardiac disability, to include hypertension, is not related to service and therefore denies his claim for service connection.

The RO denied an increased rating for the veteran's IgA nephropathy with hypertension, status post kidney transplant, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his lower back disability, service connection for hypertension secondary to arthritis pain, and service connection for right knee and shoulder disabilities. The reasons are provided within the decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and hypertension, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the knees, hips, and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by her military service.

The veteran's diagnosed hypertension is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional examinations. The issues of service connection for hypertension, gouty arthritis as secondary to hypertension, increased rating for headaches, and depression as secondary to service-connected residuals of a head injury are inextricably intertwined.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension, diagnosed at service separation and continuing after discharge, is service-connected. The bilateral hearing loss disability claim fails due to lack of current evidence meeting VA criteria for compensation. Service connection for dental procedures (root canals and bridge) is granted as it was incurred in service. The gynecological disorder (uterine cancer) claim is also granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for eye disorder, lichen simplex chronicus, hypertension, and residuals of a laceration to his hand/forearm. The appeals were based on presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, but no such evidence was found.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension with coronary artery disease, status post coronary artery bypass graft does not warrant a higher evaluation as his diastolic blood pressure is under 100 and he does not have more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year or workload greater than 3 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The veteran's hypertension and residuals of a laparoscopy with adhesions are being remanded for further development, including medical examinations to determine the etiology of her hypertension and the current severity of her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and her eligibility for educational assistance under Chapter 35. The evidence did not show a causal relationship between any service-connected disability and the veteran's death, nor was there new and material evidence presented.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the veteran's PTSD caused or aggravated his cardiovascular disease. A VA examination is needed to determine this.

The veteran's claims for service connection on three separate issues are being remanded due to the need for proper VCAA notice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed left foot, right knee, and left knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The veteran's hypertension was also not shown to be related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in service and is unrelated to his diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection for hypertension was denied.

The veteran's kidney disorder is manifested by the need for regular dialysis, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and hypertension, finding that these conditions were not incurred during active service or are not causally related to any service-connected disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration and clarifying his exposure to radiation during service. The claims will be adjudicated on the basis of direct service connection, non-ionized radiation exposure, and ionized radiation exposure.