Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2008

The Board has confirmed that the veteran's currently diagnosed hypertension and allergies/sinusitis are related to service, granting these claims.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, including heart transplant and hypertension with history of cardiomyopathy. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if the veteran's heart condition is related to authorized use of amphetamines in Vietnam.

The veteran's TDIU was granted effective from August 23, 2005, due to the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a mental VA examination and a general VA employment assessment.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current tinnitus is related to his military service. The remaining claims are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic headache disability, finding that the veteran's headaches began in service and have persisted since then. The claim for residuals of heat stroke was denied as there is no evidence to support their occurrence or aggravation during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 20, 2004 for his TDIU award. The effective date was fixed based on when he filed his informal claim for TDIU.

The Board finds that the veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and thus denies the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding no credible medical evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus does not warrant service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disability, hypertension, and bilateral eye disability on the basis that there is no competent medical evidence supporting these claims.,Specifically, the Board found that the veteran does not have a current heart disability, his hypertension is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and his bilateral eye disability is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a PTSD examination. The veteran's hypertension is being evaluated as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and major depression, heart disorder, hypertension, hiatal hernia, migraine headaches, and erectile dysfunction. The diagnoses were all linked to post-service stressors.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including dizziness, bilateral hearing loss, gout, mood swings, defective vision, cramps and sweats, peripheral neuropathy of the extremities, hypertension, heart condition, shortness of breath, depression, memory loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle and joint pains, sleep apnea, headaches, liver disorder, and high cholesterol. The claims were denied as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant due to lack of service-connected blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less, anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands.

The Board found that the appellant's respiratory and cardiovascular disabilities did not have their onset during service or within one year of separation, and are not etiologically related to his military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a breathing disorder, both presumed to be related to herbicide exposure. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board found no evidence of hypertension or arthritis of the arms and shoulders being incurred in service, nor did they manifest within a year after separation from service. The veteran's claims for these conditions were denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and renal insufficiency, both secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, are being remanded due to the need for additional development of medical records.