Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's hypertension and migraine headaches have been evaluated as noncompensably disabling. The Board finds that a compensable evaluation is not warranted for either condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, PTSD, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, and a transient ischemic attack have been denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection are set at December 15, 2006, for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, and May 9, 2007, for the transient ischemic attack.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. Effective March 1, 2006, his schedular rating is at least total.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was incurred in service and is granted. The issue of hypertension will be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and residuals of stroke, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by his service-connected seizure disorder due to alcohol abuse.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted a 10 percent rating, effective December 9, 2004.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the April 2003 RO decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of the claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's PTSD contributed to his death and whether it was related to service. The case will be returned to the RO/AMC for this purpose.

The Veteran's disability rating for pension purposes is 20 percent, which does not meet the requirements for non-service-connected disability pension due to his age and lack of a permanent and total disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension with nephrotic syndrome, low back disorder, and a psychiatric disorder. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and denied the claim.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for various disabilities, including weakness of the left and right upper extremities, scars, tinnitus, numbness of the scalp, a neck scar, hypertension, and left ear hearing loss, are denied as they attempt to vitiate the finality of the February 2003 rating decision assigning an effective date of October 9, 2001.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a shell fragment wound of the left lower extremity, PTSD, hypertension, and GERD was denied. The Board found no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his claims, including VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, kidney failure, and glaucoma as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's PTSD disability rating was increased from 10 percent to 30 percent.

The Veteran is granted service connection for an acquired psychological disorder, diagnosed as a mood disorder, and hypertension, both related to his service-connected mood disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus and its impact on his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection for all issues is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The claim is now to be adjudicated on its merits.