Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2009

The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence is against service connection for right knee arthritis and total knee replacement, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and bilateral leg ulcers.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and allergic rhinitis, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his active military service.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide proper VCAA notice.

The case is remanded to the RO for further development, including a VA examination to determine if there is a causal relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as there is no evidence of the condition during service or within a year after separation, and no medical opinion linking it to service or service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, but denied service connection for heart disease. The claim for an initial compensable rating for a scar on the left buttocks was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation or grant of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, finding no evidence that the condition was caused by or aggravated by the diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus, are of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, Ménière's disease, a left foot disorder, rhinitis, and a psychiatric disorder, claimed as depression.

The Board remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, kidney disease, and erectile dysfunction to obtain an opinion on whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected diabetes.

The veteran's headaches are service-connected as they were caused by his service-connected PTSD medication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, and eczema, as well as service connection for heart palpitations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not related to his active duty or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 40 percent as of October 28, 2008, for a low back disability with mechanical and segmental dysfunction, spondylolisthesis, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and degenerative changes; entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for tremors of the right hand associated with diabetes mellitus; entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for tremors of the left hand associated with diabetes mellitus; entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with hypertension, nephropathy, and impotence; and entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle strain (recurrent sprains) on the basis of CUE in a January 3, 2002, RO decision.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, a sinus disorder, arthritis of the knees, and glaucoma as they were not shown to have been caused by any incident of service. Additionally, it was determined that kidney failure was not proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault by VA.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and shin splints as there was no evidence of an injury, disease, or event in service to which current disorders could be related. The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, asthma, and athletes foot were remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected low back strain was rated at 10 percent prior to May 1, 2007, and increased to 20 percent as of that date. The hypertension was rated noncompensable.

The Veteran's tinnitus was determined to be related to his service, while hypertension was not found to be related to his service.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus was granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Korea.