Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2007

The Board denied service connection for arthritis and/or degenerative joint disease of unspecified joints, vertigo, and hypertension. The veteran's claims were based on direct service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension and a compensable rating for limitation of motion of the right ring finger, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including head injury, back disability, shoulder disorders, foot injuries, eye disorder, heart disorder, lung disease, psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, asbestosis, COPD, cervical spine disorder, hemorrhoids, tinnitus, and loss of teeth are not supported by the evidence of record.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and diabetes, as well as service connection for heart disease secondary to these conditions, were denied. The claim for a temporary total evaluation was held in abeyance.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, vertigo as secondary to PTSD, and hypertension as secondary to PTSD due to a lack of evidence of current disabilities within the meaning of VA criteria.

The veteran's multiple service-connected and nonservice-connected disabilities prevent him from achieving a vocational goal, thus feasibility of additional vocational rehabilitation training is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding a visit to Vietnam and further development is needed for service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a cardiovascular disorder, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, that is attributable to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no current evidence of these disabilities.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for further development.

The veteran's claims for service connection for thoracic myofascitis, cognitive disorder due to closed head injury, and radiculopathy secondary to lumbar spine pathology have been granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative joint disease of the knees, hypertension, fibromyalgia and/or chronic pain syndrome, hepatitis C, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remain pending.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. However, the Board denied service connection for psoriatic arthritis.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the previously denied claims for hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, renal disease, and eye disorder.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for hypertension, heart murmur, and blackouts due to incomplete service medical records and need for additional VA examinations and etiology opinions.

The Board found no current residuals of a right hand and thumb injury, thus denying service connection for this condition. Service connection was also denied for depression due to lack of competent evidence showing its onset during service or being related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension did not develop during service or within one year of discharge, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for laxity, lateral ligaments of the right ankle was denied. The effective date for his service connection for migraine headaches is March 6, 2000.

The veteran's PTSD was granted an increased rating to 50 percent, effective from June 1999. The issue of reopening his hypertension claim remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed impaired vision and hypertension are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation.