Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral vascular disease of the right and left lower extremities, finding no current diagnosis of this condition in the medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability is granted with a 30 percent rating, effective from March 1997. The RO also increased the ratings for high blood pressure and diabetic retinopathy of both eyes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability, to include hypertensive heart disease and hypertension, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine were incurred during his active service. Therefore, these conditions are granted as service connected.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues except the ones related to Agent Orange exposure. The Board does not have jurisdiction to review these remaining issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, vertigo, and Meniere's disease, finding that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a scheduled hearing. The case will be processed as though the request for a hearing had been withdrawn.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and multiple joint arthritis were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed due to radiation exposure. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for congenital fusion of the right hand, left ear hearing loss, sinusitis with nasal septum disability, and hypertension are denied as there is no evidence of a superimposed injury or disease in service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension. The Veteran now has a chance to have his claim reviewed on its merits.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hypertension did not occur during his active duty service and was not aggravated by his second period of active duty. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and obesity were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they otherwise related to service. Therefore, these claims have been denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thyroid disability and hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of these conditions during service or that they are related to his diabetes mellitus.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal of issues related to service connection for a skin disorder and hypertension due to notification from the appellant. Service connection is granted for prostate cancer, status post-prostatectomy, as secondary to herbicide exposure. Service connection is also granted for diabetes mellitus, Type II, as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, finding that the earliest document in the claims file supporting this claim was filed on January 23, 1996. The Veteran's heart condition was already service-connected prior to his inservice catheterization.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection for left knee/leg disorder, right knee/leg disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision is based on the lack of evidence showing a chronic condition during or within one year after service, as well as the absence of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension and hypertensive heart disease to allow for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for sleeplessness, depression, anxiety, and a bad temper prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran is granted special monthly pension at the housebound rate due to his age and multiple nonservice-connected disabilities, with a combined rating of 80 percent.

The Board has granted a higher initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's hypertension, effective from May 23, 2002. The claim for service connection for vertigo (dizziness) is remanded to the RO.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction as they are not related to service or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.