Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2009

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus and assigned a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, chronic back pain, and hypertension were denied. The claims for a left arm burn and right ankle sprain have been reopened.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for all issues except gout, which received a 20% disability rating. The remaining conditions were either not granted or had their ratings denied.

The Board has reviewed the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a low back disorder, which were previously denied in December 1997. The evidence submitted since that time does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus may have aggravated his hypertension, and to furnish the Veteran with notice of 38 C.F.R. § 3.310.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and residuals of cerebrovascular accident, both claimed as secondary to the service-connected right ankle disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were caused or aggravated by the service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and attempting to obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and PTSD with anxiety and depression.

The Veteran's request for additional training and computer assistance was denied as it is not necessary to improve his independence in daily living given the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is at least as likely as not incurred during his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that further development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining his service records and conducting medical examinations, is necessary to properly adjudicate these issues.

The Veteran's request for service connection for hypertension is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the Togus, Maine RO.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disability are not caused or made worse by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for cardiovascular disease and hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that PTSD caused or aggravated these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for hypertension, were denied by the Board. The evidence did not support higher ratings based on the severity of his knee conditions or hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, chronic renal insufficiency, and anemia as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not show that these conditions were caused or aggravated by the diabetes.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of whether new and material evidence had been presented to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, skin tag of the left hip, frontal alopecia, and entitlement to an initial compensable rating for scar, left inguinal hernia repair residuals.