Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability, and thus denied both service connection for the cause of death and DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD, diabetes mellitus as a result of service exposure to Agent Orange, impotency due to his service-connected conditions or hypertension. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular disorder and hypertension have been granted with an effective date of June 7, 1993.

The Board denied service connection for all six secondary conditions (right hip disorder, headaches, ulcers, hypertension, cardiovascular disorder, and bilateral knee disorder) to the veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and related heart symptoms did not develop during service or within one year of separation, and cannot be presumed to have developed due to service. The evidence does not support a finding that the current condition is related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, including as secondary to chronic pain from her service-connected spondylosis at T4-12. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for hypertension, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral ankle and knee conditions, and esophagitis. The veteran did not have these conditions during his military service or within the one-year presumptive period after separation. There is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes and hypertension were denied. The claim to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for hypertension was granted, but the new evidence did not establish that the veteran had hypertension during service or within one year after discharge. Service connection for a spinal disorder, multiple joint disorders, right shoulder disorder, and laceration over the left eye are all denied.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, hiatal hernia, hypertension with history of congestive heart failure associated with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, are found to be sufficient for a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during service or related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations and consideration of new evidence. The veteran's claim of entitlement to nonservice-connected pension benefits remains pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to a hearing scheduling issue.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the etiology of the veteran's hypertension and renal condition.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board found that there is no evidence of hypertension or hypothyroidism in service, and the veteran's current conditions are not related to his active duty service. Therefore, service connection for both conditions was denied.

The veteran's service connection for PTSD, bilateral pingueculae, and gastritis with esophagitis and duodenitis was granted. The claim for migraine headaches secondary to fibromyalgia was also granted. However, the claims for hypertension and sinus disability were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions within one year after discharge from service or for many years thereafter. The medical evidence did not show a direct relationship between his in-service vaccinations and his current health issues.

The Board has granted service connection for porphyria and hypertension, finding that the veteran's porphyria is a hereditary disorder that first manifested during his military service. The hypertension claim will be remanded to obtain an opinion on its relationship to porphyria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's essential hypertension and heart disease are not service-connected, as they were not present during his military service or due to a service-connected condition.