Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the appellant did not incur diabetes mellitus or hypertension as a result of his military service and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for schizophrenia, but the hypertension issue remains unresolved. The decision on whether new and material evidence was presented to reopen the schizophrenia claim is mixed.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service, and thus denied both claims.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board found that the veteran's depressive disorder was incurred in service and granted service connection for it. The hypertension, which began after service, was not shown to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for valvular heart disease with congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, but denied both the claim for service connection and the cause of death due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to VCAA compliance issues.

The Board found that the veteran's current heart disorder, including hypertension, did not have its onset during service or for many years thereafter and denied the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any injury or disease incurred in service, including diabetes and heart conditions. The evidence did not support a connection between his Vietnam service and these conditions.

The veteran's headaches due to an undiagnosed illness are rated at 30 percent effective October 29, 2002. His hypertension is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection and increased the disability rating for type II diabetes mellitus to 40 percent, but denied secondary service connection claims for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy as they are not related to the veteran's service-connected diabetes.

The veteran is seeking service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus with hypertension and impotence, which he claims are due to herbicide exposure during his service in Guam. The Board has decided that further development is needed to determine if the veteran was exposed to herbicides.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and congestive heart failure, finding that there was no evidence of a disease in service or within one year after service, and that exposure to Agent Orange did not result in these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertensive nephrosclerosis is well controlled with medication and does not meet the criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's sinusitis, hemorrhoids, essential hypertension and pulmonary hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,The Board also denied the claim for an earlier effective date for VA pension benefits.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to his failure to report for VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hypertension was caused in part by, and cannot be reasonably disassociated from his active duty military service.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for asthma and HIV infection is denied. The RO has granted a 30 percent rating for HIV infection effective August 30, 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected hypertension and hemorrhoids, both rated at 10 percent.