Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's respiratory disability, including residuals of pneumonia and asthma, is not considered to be related to his service. The claim for hypertension was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Florida from August 6 to August 7, 2003 is being remanded due to incomplete information and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, and his peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are separately evaluated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective date were denied. The Board found that the claim for hypertension was not received prior to February 27, 2003.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute to his death. The primary causes of death were myocardial infarction and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused or materially contributed to by any service-connected disability, including those presumed due to herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claims of service connection for hypertension, low back disability, and asthma. As such, these claims remain denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service in Vietnam did not involve duty or visitation, thus his in-service herbicide exposure cannot be presumed. The Veteran does not have a current lung disability or hypertension related to active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The issue of hypertension will be remanded to obtain a medical opinion addressing whether it was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and thus granted service connection for this condition. However, hypertension was not shown to be causally or etiologically related to active service, and therefore denied. Service connection for tendonitis of both elbows could not be established due to lack of evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and tinnitus are not service-connected, as they were not caused or aggravated by his active duty service nor any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently manifested by diastolic pressure readings that are predominantly 90 or less, with the use of continuous medication. He does not meet the criteria for a higher initial compensable rating.

The Veteran does not have hypertension or irritable bowel syndrome that is proximately due to his service-connected low back disability.,VA examinations did not find any evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension, and residuals of cerebrovascular accident with right upper and lower hemiparesis are being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a burning sensation of the feet and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service or any related exposure.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, right shoulder pain and right scapula condition, chest pain, bronchitis, influenza with headaches, low back disability, esophoria, nosebleed, and residuals of a foreign object in the eye. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred as a result of exposure to herbicides during service. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is not secondary to his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the current medical evidence is insufficient to decide whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and bilateral hearing loss cannot be granted as there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service, and current disability due to such exposure. The claim for tinnitus will be remanded.