Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and there was no evidence of a link between the two conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran was not exposed to mustard gas or Lewisite during service, and therefore cannot establish service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for spastic paraparesis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and hypertension as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that schizophrenia may be presumed to have been incurred in service, but anemia and hypertension were not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have hypertension, and even if he did, it was not related to service. The claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected hypertension, finding that his blood pressure readings did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of in-service stressors and medical opinions regarding the etiology of his disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's neck pain was not caused by his active military service and denied service connection for this condition. The initial compensable rating, disability evaluation, and TDIU claims are also addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that the appellant's November 2002 substantive appeal was timely filed regarding the April 24, 2001 rating decision. The issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, emphysema (to include bronchitis), and back disorder as well as his attempts to reopen claims of entitlement to service connection for varicose veins. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received in order to reopen these claims.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed COPD, cardiac disorders (including coronary artery disease and mitral valve replacement), and hypertension are not related to his active service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension and flat feet were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they related to any disease or injury in service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, PTSD, and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinea cruris are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The RO is instructed to obtain the veteran's service medical records and verify his periods of active duty for training (ADT) and inactive duty for training (IADT).

The RO denied service connection for hypertension as secondary to aortic valve disease with regurgitation. The claim for residuals of a back injury was reopened, and the issue is remanded.,Service connection for depression remains denied.

The veteran's hypertension is not rated higher than noncompensable due to the majority of diastolic pressure readings being below 100 and no predominant history of diastolic pressure at or above 100.

The Board denied service connection for skin disease and hypertension, finding that the conditions did not have onset during service or were not related to exposure to Agent Orange. The veteran's claim of hypertension was also denied as it did not manifest within one year after separation from service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional information about his in-service stressors and scheduling VA examinations to assess the nature and severity of his PTSD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's hypertension is caused or aggravated by his service-connected nephrolithiasis and for proper VCAA notice.