Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2010

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, peripheral vascular disease of the right and left lower extremities, and cardiovascular disease prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not service connected, as there is no evidence of its onset during or immediately after his military service and it was first diagnosed many years later. The Board also found that diabetes mellitus did not cause or aggravate the hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent disabling for diabetes mellitus (DM) and a separate compensable evaluation for hypertension associated with DM was denied. The evidence did not support the need for additional evaluations.

The Board has denied reopening the claim of service connection for hypertension. The Veteran's claim is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and to seek verification of his claimed stressors related to his PTSD.

The Board is remanding the veteran's claims to the RO for further development and consideration due to unclear dates of service, need for medical nexus opinions regarding the etiology of her hypertension and circulatory disorder, and potential need for additional records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction are not related to his service or any aspect thereof, but have been caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claim for service connection is granted.

The appellant is not eligible for non-service-connected pension benefits due to a lack of service as an individual or member of a group considered to have performed active military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's thyroid disorder, cardiovascular disorder, chronic liver disorder, and hypertension were all reasonably shown to have had their onset during a period of active duty training (ADT). The claims for service connection are granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further evaluation of his service-connected lumbar spine disability and consideration of his claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability. The issue of an increased evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is inextricably intertwined with the issue of his entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and hypertension were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence, and the gap between separation from service and diagnosis of hypertension is significant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected and his diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal was denied because he did not file a timely notice of disagreement regarding the June 2003 rating decision that denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, nervous condition, an eye disability, and breathing difficulty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records review. The issues include service connection for hypertension, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and action to ensure compliance with the instructions in the Joint Motion for Remand.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 7101. The Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development of medical records, including those from the Veteran's Reserve service and her husband's military hospitals. The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to afford the Veteran an adequate VA examination and clarify his service connection claim for hypertension, including as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to additional evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's hypertension began during his second period of active service and has been continuous since then. The issue of service connection for coronary artery disease is remanded.