Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining new VA examinations and issuing a Statement of the Case (SOC) in response to the Veteran's NOD regarding termination of disability compensation benefits and overpayment of disability compensation benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and will seek to verify the Veteran's complete periods of active duty, active duty for training, and inactive duty with the Army Reserve. The claims for service connection for chronic hepatitis C and chronic hypertension will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine his ability to work due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's conditions, while disabling, do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension benefits based on need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound.

The Board has granted service connection for allergic sinus disorder, bilateral pes planus, and hypertension. The Veteran's conditions are presumed to have been incurred during periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, dizziness, and scar tissue of the lungs. The Veteran's conditions were not found to be related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bronchiectasis and bronchitis, asthma, GERD, hypertension, bilateral eye disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and right hip disability. The Veteran's appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including erectile dysfunction, hypertension, a heart condition, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, all secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The Board has determined that additional development is needed.

The Board found no evidence of a confirmed diagnosis of hypertension in service or during the applicable presumptive period, and denied service connection for hypertension. The Veteran's right ankle disability was not shown to have had its onset during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and readjudication of all issues, including the issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the requirements necessary to warrant special monthly compensation at higher levels than the (l) rate.

The Board found that the Veteran's Parkinsonism, arthritis, and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not establish a clear link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active duty.

The Veteran's service records do not show any diagnosis or treatment for a heart disorder or hypertension. Post-service medical records indicate intermittent complaints of chest pain and hypertension, but no current diagnoses have been established. The Board finds that the evidence does not meet the criteria for service connection under direct service connection provisions.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have hypertension that had its onset in service or within one year of service, and there is no evidence to support a finding that it was caused by his military service. As such, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new claims raised by the Veteran and inextricably intertwined with the current appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, hypertension, and shingles are being remanded due to the need for further development including verification of combat service and a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis, diabetes mellitus (including as a result of herbicide exposure), hypertension, tinnitus, and a bilateral leg disorder. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.