Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2010

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vision loss, hypertension, thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), and spots on lungs. The reasons were not provided in the given text.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, brain aneurysm, and cervical spine disability were denied as the evidence did not show a link to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred. The Board also determined that it is less likely than not related to his diabetes, as current medical thought finds no causal relationship between diabetes mellitus and essential hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of overseas assignments and obtaining medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability and his hypertension did not begin during service or is not otherwise related to service. Therefore, both claims for service connection are denied.

The Board found no evidence of service-connected conditions that caused or contributed to the Veteran's death. The appellant claimed exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, but there was no such evidence and the RO did not find any connection between the Veteran's post-service health issues and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining verification of in-service stressors and exposure to herbicides, as well as VA examinations related to sinusitis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

The Veteran's cause of death was identified as pneumonia due to advanced Alzheimer's disease. The Board found no evidence that his service-connected disabilities caused or contributed substantially or materially to these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be incurred in service, and the other claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, retinal neuropathy, and peritoneal neuropathy.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for hypertension, including as secondary to a service-connected anxiety disorder. The evidence now shows that the Veteran was diagnosed with hypertension during active service and that his currently diagnosed hypertension is related to his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, residuals of strokes, and a chronic respiratory disorder. The Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II; the residuals of strokes are related to his hypertension; and the chronic respiratory disorder is related to asbestos exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a joint motion from the parties, which notes that the VA examiner may have overlooked favorable evidence and thus the opinion is based on an incomplete set of facts. The Veteran's hypertension claim will be reconsidered.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have tinea pedis or hypertension during service and that current conditions are unrelated to his active service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchitis and hypertension do not prevent him from securing and following some type of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for hypertension and service connection for a heart disorder, to include as secondary to the service-connected hypertension, were denied. The Board finds that TDIU has been raised in this case.

The Board found that the cause of death, sepsis due to or as consequence of pneumonia, was not caused by service and may not be presumed to have been caused by service. The Veteran did not have any disability service-connected at the time of his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD or hypertension that was incurred in, aggravated by, or related to his service. The claim for PTSD is denied as there is no verified stressor and the claim for hypertension is denied due to lack of a link between the condition and any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for seasonal allergies (allergic rhinitis) and denied a higher initial disability rating for essential hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to continuity of symptomatology since service. The claims for diabetes mellitus, heart condition, and bilateral weakness of legs are remanded for further development.