Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with notification and obtaining service medical records. The veteran's claims for service connection on all four issues are pending.

The Board found no present diagnosis of PTSD and denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and hypertension with associated retinopathy. The issues regarding these conditions are now remanded for further development.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and CFS were denied. The claim for service connection for IBS was granted with an initial rating of 10 percent, effective June 4, 2003. The claim for service connection for joint pain was also granted with a 10 percent initial rating, effective June 4, 2003.

The veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and hypertension with myocardial infarction, as secondary to service-connected PTSD, are denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar spine disability and hypertension are both service-connected, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the veteran.

The veteran was granted service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Her hypertension is considered to have developed during her pregnancy, with sporadic elevated readings noted in service records. Diabetes was diagnosed shortly after October 2000.,An initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tension headaches remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no medical evidence showing their onset during service or within one year following discharge. The presumptions for Vietnam-era veterans do not apply to this case.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for leukopenia, vision loss (decreased visual acuity), high cholesterol, and hypertension are not supported by evidence of a current disability or a disease incurred in service. The veteran's leukopenia is considered an abnormal laboratory finding rather than a recognized medical condition warranting service connection. His decreased visual acuity is due to refractive errors of the eyes, which are developmental defects and not diseases or injuries within the meaning of applicable legislation for VA purposes. Hypertension was not incurred in service and there is no positive association with herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty or to exposure to herbicides. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between the veteran's current diagnoses of asthma and hypertension and his service-connected diabetes.

The Board found that the veteran's sleep apnea, left arm disorder, prostatitis (claimed as urinary tract condition), diabetes, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and umbilical hernia are all related to his active service. The eye disorder was not found to be related to service.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence linking the veteran's hypertension or left ankle, knee, and hip disabilities to service or service-connected disability. The claims for secondary service connection were denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of the veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claims for increased ratings will be reconsidered in light of any new evidence obtained.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease, finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active duty service. The Board also found no evidence of a nexus between his service-connected diabetes mellitus and his current diagnoses.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for pulmonary hypertension with cor pulmonale, to include as due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The evidence submitted since the last denial does not establish a new and material fact that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a current disability of hypertension, and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, hypertension, and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance of another person or at the housebound rate due to her multiple conditions, including right arm lymphedema, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The evidence did not meet the criteria for a 100% disability rating or permanent confinement to her dwelling.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as being aggravated by the veteran's service-connected cirrhosis with subsequent liver transplant.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is likely to have originated during his military service and granted his claim for service connection.