Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2009

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's current diagnosis of hypertension is shown by competent medical evidence and the VA examiner opined that it was more likely than not aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to cause the veteran's death. The issue of entitlement to death pension benefits is also being addressed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation based on orthopedic manifestations alone, and there were no incapacitating episodes warranting a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5243.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's preexisting hypertension was aggravated by service and whether his heart condition is related to his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the appellant's hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the feet are not service connected, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service or any presumptive exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity and chronic hypertension, finding no current diagnosis or evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his hypertension and GERD. The evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions were directly caused by or exacerbated by his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active military service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy were also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, heart disease, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic nephropathy as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, hemorrhoids, and a stress ulcer. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for compliance with previous instructions, including obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease are aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension, which was previously denied in March 1987. The new evidence received since that decision supports a finding of service connection based on secondary to a service-connected disorder.

The Board found no evidence of hypertension during service or within a year of separation, and concluded that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service. The claim for service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and GERD/hiatal hernia to the RO for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records from July 2004 to January 2006 and from December 2007 to the present. The Veteran should be afforded appropriate VA examination(s) to determine if his conditions are related to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of hypertension, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hiatal hernia, and cervical spine disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in evaluation or service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to locating the Veteran's original claims file and obtaining additional medical records. The claim for service connection for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of perirectal abscesses, bronchitis, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), hidradenitis suppurativa, migraine headaches, and hypertension. The Board also denied her increased rating claims for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and left knee, as well as a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine disability.