Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's heart disease, liver disability, and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The veteran does not currently have PTSD.

The Board found that the appellant did not submit new and material evidence to reopen her claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, resulting in a denial.

The Board has determined that separate ratings are warranted for the veteran's essential hypertension and premature ventricular contractions, as previously considered as a single disability. The claim for an increased rating for essential hypertension is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a back injury and hypertension, as well as increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and surgical residuals of excision of the lower lip lesion, were denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury was reopened based on new evidence, but it does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the underlying claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus cannot be granted service connection on a secondary basis. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the appeal is inextricably intertwined and requires additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and providing notice of relevant rating criteria.

The veteran's appeal for increased evaluations and a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied. The left knee disorder is rated as 30 percent disabling, hypertension as 10 percent disabling, and coronary atherosclerosis as noncompensable.

The veteran's claims for service connection for right arm/elbow, right leg, and right hip disabilities are denied. The cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right shoulder disabilities were established prior to service and are not considered incurred in or aggravated by service. Service connection is granted for the skin disability and right knee disability as they were established prior to service. Hypertension was not present during service or within one year of separation.

The Board finds that the veteran's Graves' disease, which manifested during his service and is now diagnosed, was incurred in service. The benefit of doubt has been resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional VA medical records and an examination, as well as scheduling of the veteran's requested VA compensation and pension examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a currently diagnosed chronic respiratory condition and there is no continuity of any such condition following his period of service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish a link between the veteran's hypertension and a service-connected disability or his period of service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD with anxiety, residuals of a head injury, hypertension, and bronchitis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for tachycardia, hypertension, and tension headaches. The veteran was not granted service connection for a heart disorder claimed as chest pain.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnosis and his military service or service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension. As a result, the claim remains denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected anxiety state contributed to his heart disease and ultimately caused his death, granting the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension existed prior to his active military service and was not aggravated by it. The condition is therefore denied as service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not etiologically related to his period of service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection for stomach ulcer, alcohol abuse, and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or thereafter.,Service connection for alcohol abuse has also been barred by law due to the veteran's own willful misconduct (abuse of alcohol).

The veteran's hypertension was found to be aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus he is granted secondary service connection for his hypertension.