Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2008

The Board determined that the veteran's hypertension did not have its onset during service or within one year of separation, and was not caused by his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased initial disability ratings for sinusitis, hypertension, hemorrhoids, and a scar resulting from excision of a left axillary mass were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for any compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arterial hypertension and a liver disability, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected exercise-induced hypertension, as his blood pressure readings did not consistently meet the criteria for a higher disability rating under the applicable schedular criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating is denied as his claims for service connection for hypertension and hypertensive heart disease were not perfected until March 2, 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disability is secondary to his service-connected left knee and foot disabilities.,Regarding hypertension, the Board found no direct link between the veteran's PTSD and his condition.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, afibrillation, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, Charcot joint disease, and left foot disability. The veteran's claims were not granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for intraocular hypertension, Bell's palsy with damage to the 7th cranial nerve, and low back strain, pain, stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and disc herniation. Service connection was granted for hypertension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to in-service noise exposure or service. The Board also found that the veteran's hypertension did not manifest within one year after separation from service.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for hypertension, finding that the veteran's blood pressure readings have not been worse than 152/92 and thus do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, which is claimed to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with depression, and secondary service connection for memory loss and sleep disorder. Service connection for GERD and hypertension is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach disorder, alopecia areata, and arterial hypertension. The claim for service connection for alopecia areata was denied as there is no medical evidence showing that the veteran had alopecia areata at the time of filing or thereafter.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated as 100 percent disabling in combination, including post-traumatic stress disorder, low back disorder, and diabetes mellitus. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's impairment from diabetic neuropathy effectively renders him without the use of his lower extremities, necessitating the use of a wheelchair for locomotion.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension did not manifest during service and is unrelated to his period of service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for hypertension (claimed as heart/artery, heat stroke) on the grounds of no new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to assess the veteran's ability to obtain and maintain gainful employment due to his multiple disabilities, excluding those related to substance abuse or willful misconduct.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and hypertension, are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension, both claimed as related to active service. The veteran's claims are based on direct service connection rather than a presumption due to herbicide exposure.