Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2008

The veteran withdrew his appeal for the claims of entitlement to service connection for pneumonia, atrial fibrillation and hypertension during a hearing before the Board. The case is dismissed as these issues are no longer part of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, hypertension and coronary artery disease as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and readjudicating the claims.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, including PTSD. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's PTSD did not contribute to his death and that any medication for PTSD would have likely improved his ability to cope with other health issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and heart condition are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of their onset during or immediately after his military service. The heart condition is presumed to be related to malaria, which is already service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and procedural errors, including a failure to associate unit records with the file.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to clarify whether there is a link between the veteran's service-connected PTSD and his current hypertension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus Type III, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. The effective dates for these conditions were not assigned as requested.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been granted, with a current evaluation of 10 percent. The claims for sleep apnea and depression and personality disorder have been reopened but not substantiated on the merits.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension and CAD are not associated with his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The veteran did not serve in the Republic of Vietnam or its demilitarized zone (DMZ) during his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully consider the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, including secondary to medications taken for service-connected disabilities. This includes obtaining VA medical records from Grand Rapids, Michigan, reviewing a VA urologist's opinion on the etiology of the veteran's erectile dysfunction, and ensuring all legal requirements are met.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and Type II diabetes mellitus, as well as his service connection claims for Ménire's disease, hypertension, cardiovascular-renal disease, kidney stones, thyroid tumor, arthritis, ulcer (gastric-peptic), and hepatitis C. The Board found that the veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a scar of the right thigh.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension and heart condition were not incurred in service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disorder as secondary to hypertension, finding that his hypertension existed prior to service and did not increase in severity during service. The heart disorder was also found not related to active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to use assistive devices.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed due to untimely Substantive Appeals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that a new VCAA notice is required, and the case must be remanded for further development including medical opinions on whether service-connected conditions contributed to the veteran's death.